Palay (unmilled rice) production in the Philippines grew 13.9 percent year-on-year in the second quarter of 2025 as yield per hectare reached the highest in 38 years, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Palay production rose to 4.38 million metric tons in the second quarter of 2025, up from 3.85 million tons in the same period last year. This marks the highest second-quarter production since 1987.
Palay yield per hectare reached 4.50 metric tons in the second quarter, up 4.2 percent from 4.32 tons a year ago and the highest since 1987.
Central Luzon recorded the highest yield at 6.07 tons per hectare, followed by Cagayan Valley at 5.15 tons and Ilocos Region at 4.81 tons.
Central Luzon was also the top producer in the second quarter, accounting for 25.1 percent of the total with 1.10 million tons. Cagayan Valley followed with 964,370 tons (22.0 percent), and Bicol Region with 354,540 tons (8.1 percent). These three regions collectively produced 55.2 percent of the country’s total.
The area harvested for palay also increased by 9.2 percent to 970,000 hectares from 890,000 hectares a year earlier. Cagayan Valley led with 187,360 hectares (19.3 percent), followed by Central Luzon with 180,830 hectares (18.6 percent) and Bicol Region with 92,160 hectares (9.5 percent).
 production, yield, and harvested area all increased in the second quarter of 2025, reaching record highs. Central Luzon, Cagayan Valley, and Bicol Region were the top-producing areas.%%excerpt%%){kind=link}