The country's rice production in January to June fell by 5.1 percent to 5.381 million metric tons (MT), prompting the Department of Agriculture (DA) to foresee yearend production at just 13.171 million MT, falling short by 1.29 million MT or 7.24 percent from the 14.2 million MT 2003 target.

The DA's Bureau of Agricultural Statics (BAS) reported that the 5.38 million MT output in January to June this year was particularly due to a 10.3 percent contraction in the second quarter which totalled to just 2.346 million MT.

BAS said the output is due to the effect of the El Niño dry phenomenon.

It's an extended effect of the dry spell," as BAS official in an interview.

The forecast was based on survey of standing crop and planting intentions last July 1.

Despite the foreseen decline in rice production, government does not see the need for any addition rice imported for the year.

"There won't be any more importation because the main harvest is already in the fourth quarter. Even if that is a little lower than the expected production, the rice inventory is sufficient to cover any shortfall," said Gregorio Y. tan Jr., deputy administrator of the National Food Authority. (NFA)

The Country is importing 1.01 million Mt of rice for the year aside from an agreement to buy some 160,000 to 200,000 MT through the United States government's PL 480 program.

A BAS official said DA is still hoping that rice production in the year can be pulled up by increased yield and increased area of rice planting specifically during the fourth quarter which usually takes up takes up 40 to 50 percent of total rice output in the year.

The DA is just about to intensify within August the distribution of fertilizer subsidy to farmers who are propagating hybrid rice and certified rice seeds.

BAS foresees that by yearend, rice will be planted on 4.002 million hectares, down 1.1 percent from 4.046 million hectares last year. Moreover, it predicted that average rice harvest in the country will rise to 3.29 MT per hectare, up by a minuscule 0.30 MT per hectare.

January to June actual yield rose by 1.23 percent from 3.24 MT per hectare last year to fall short of target as production is seen at only 4.478 million MT, although this is 3.7 percent higher than corn output of 4.319 million MT in 2002.

DA target a five million MT corn production for 2003 due to the propagation of hybrid corn seeds and the anticipated yield increase from the commercialization of genetically modified Bacillus thoringgiensis (Bt) corn.