By Stephanie Sevillano

MANILA – Local palay (unhusked rice) production in the Philippines is projected to rise in the third quarter of 2025, according to the latest outlook from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released on Tuesday.

“The estimated palay production based on standing crop for July to September 2025 may increase to 3.94 million metric tons (MT) or by 18.4 percent,” the PSA report read.

It added that the harvest area may expand by 19.1 percent to 943,380 hectares, compared to 792,220 hectares in the third quarter of 2024.

As of Aug. 1, around 550,540 MT of palay had already been harvested from 140,030 hectares, representing 14.8 percent of the total projected harvest area for the quarter.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed optimism that the country would still achieve a record-high harvest for 2025.

He, however, noted that the Department of Agriculture (DA) has adjusted its full-year production forecast to 20.35 million MT due to heavy rains and flooding, slightly lower than the earlier outlook of 20.46 million MT.

“The rainfall volume we’ve seen in recent months has been unprecedented. This is just a more conservative stance—prudence in the face of uncertainty,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement.

Meanwhile, the DA projected that rice supply may settle between 3.86 million MT and 3.96 million MT by year-end.

This volume would be sufficient for 96 to 101 days of national consumption, based on the per capita requirement of 122.7 kilograms. (PNA)

Published Date: September 16, 2025