Palay and corn production in Ilocos Region increased in 1^st quarter 2019 compared with their respective level in 1^st quarter 2018.

Palay

Palay production in 1^st quarter 2019 posted at 330,050 metric tons, higher than the estimate in 1^st quarter 2018 of 329,229 metric tons. The harvest area also expanded from 67,425 hectares to 68,971 hectares. However, the yield per hectare dropped from 4.88 metric tons to 4.79 metric tons due to insufficient water and effects of bacterial leaf blight and bacterial leaf streak.

The province of Pangasinan at 69.5 percent accounted for the biggest proportion of the total palay production of Ilocos Region in 1^st quarter 2019. Its output grew from 227,883 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2018 to 229,460 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2019. More plantings were realized due to the availability of subsidized seeds from the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office I (DA-RFO I) and Local Government Units (LGUs) to cover up losses caused by flooding and typhoons in the latter part of 2018. However, with some incidence of bacterial leaf blight and bacterial leaf streak, the yield per hectare went down from 4.81 metric tons to 4.73 metric tons.

The province of Ilocos Norte ranked second in terms of volume of palay production in the region in 1^st quarter 2019. It realized an output of 47,805 metric tons with 14.5 percent of the total palay production of Ilocos Region in 1^st quarter 2019, higher than the output in 1^st quarter 2018 of 47,296 metric tons. Increased plantings in irrigated palay areas were observed due to availability of subsidized seeds from DA-RFO I and LGUs. The overall harvest area expanded from 9,279 hectares to 9,345 hectares while the yield per hectare went up from 5.10 metric tons to 5.12 metric tons.

Palay production in Ilocos Sur is third highest in 1^st quarter 2019 with 8.9 percent of the total palay production in Ilocos Region in 1^st quarter 2019. From the output of 25,274 metric tons in the same period in 2018, it went up to 29,530 metric tons due to availability of subsidized seeds and increased plantings along the laterals of the Banaoang Pump Irrigation Project (BPIP). The harvest area increased from 5,075 hectares to 5,896 hectares while the overall yield per hectare grew from 4.98 metric tons to 5.01 metric tons.

La Union recorded the least volume of palay production with 7.0 percent of the total palay production in the region in 1^st quarter 2019. It went down from 28,776 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2018 to 23,255 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2019. The harvest area shrunk from 5,694 hectares to 5,187 hectares due to damaged irrigation systems. The yield per hectare was affected by insufficient water. Thus, it dropped from 5.05 metric tons to 4.48 metric tons.

Corn

Corn production of Region I increased by 4.8 percent with 403,957 metric tons output in 1^st quarter 2019 from 385,287 metric tons output in 1^st quarter 2018. All the provinces, except La Union, posted higher production. The harvest area expanded from 63,235 hectares to 66,010 hectares due to availability of seeds and fertilizers. Early plantings were done due to good soil moisture and prices. In addition, some farmers shifted from garlic and tobacco to corn planting. The overall yield per hectare also improved from 6.09 metric tons to 6.12 metric tons.

Pangasinan, which ranked first (65.0 percent share) in terms of volume of production in the 1^st quarter 2019, registered a positive growth in corn output during the period. From 255,429 metric tons production in 1^st quarter 2018, it went up to 262,594 metric tons due to increased plantings from palay areas damaged by “habagat” and Typhoon Ompong, coupled with the availability of high quality seeds. Thus, the harvest area grew from 40,896 hectares to 41,696 hectares while the overall yield per hectare improved from 6.25 metric tons to 6.30 metric tons.

Ilocos Sur ranked second with 17.5 percent of the total corn production in the region in 1st quarter 2019. Its corn production increased from 60,834 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2018 to 70,619 metric tons in 1^st quarter 2019. More plantings were recorded due to availability of high quality seeds and fertilizers from the provincial government and local government units. The harvest area increased to 11,707 hectares from 10,158 hactares. Likewise, the overall yield per hectare grew from 5.99 metric tons to 6.03 metric tons.

Ilocos Norte accounted for 11.1 percent of the total corn production in the region in 1^st quarter 2019. It registered a production of 45,004 metric tons, higher by 4.9 percent than the production recorded in the same quarter of 2018. There were increased area planted from garlic and tobacco, coupled with early plantings to avail good soil moisture and higher prices. Thus, the overall harvest area increased from 7,710 hectares to 8,248 hectares. However, the overall yield per hectare dropped from 5.56 metric tons to 5.46 metric tons due to insufficient water and hot weather.

The province of La Union recorded the (smallest) least corn production in the region with 6.5 percent of the total corn production in Ilocos Region in 1^st quarter of 2019. From 26,142 metric tons volume of production in 1^st quarter 2018, the corn production in the province went down to 25,740 metric tons in the same period of 2018 due to shifting to seeds production. Thus, the overall harvest area decreased from 4,471 hectares to 4,359 hectares. Meanwhile, the overall yield per hectare went up from 5.85 metric tons to 5.91 metric tons due to increased fertilizer usage and availability of high quality seeds.

TECHNICAL NOTES

• The Palay and Corn Production Survey (PCPS) consists of two national quarterly surveys which are conducted simultaneously. These are the Palay Production Survey (PPS) and Corn Production Survey (CPS). The surveys generate estimates on palay and corn production, area and yield and other production-related data that serve as inputs for policymaking and programs on palay/rice and corn. The PCPS covers sample-farming households in sample barangays in all provinces. It is conducted quarterly with the following quarters as the reference periods:

April Round Survey - January to March

July Round Survey - April to June

October Round Survey - July to September

January Round Survey - October to December

• The objective of the survey is to generate estimates and forecasts on palay and corn area, production, and yield.

• The purpose of this survey is to provide data inputs for policies and programs on rice and corn.

ATTY. SHEILA O. DE GUZMAN

(Chief Administrative Officer)

          Office-in-Charge