DOMESTIC rice production is expected to fall below 19.4 million metric tons (MT) this year due to damage caused by successive typhoons, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Monday. Rice imports, which stood at 3.9 million metric tons (MT) as of Nov. 7, will help mitigate the impact, he added. The DA initially projected palay output to reach 20.44 million MT this year, higher than 2023's record 20.06 million MT. It cut the forecast to 19.4 million MT due to the effects of the El Niño weather pattern earlier this year. The USDA projects the Philippines to produce around 12.3 million MT of milled rice this year, lower than their previous estimate of 12.7 million MT.

Source: Manila Times November 19, 2024 04:26 UTC