The Department of Agriculture (DA) welcomed new data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing increased palay (unmilled rice) and corn production in the first half of 2025, boosted by improved weather conditions and sustained government interventions.
“Palay and corn production for the January to June period gives us hope for a better year for agriculture despite the challenges we now face,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. “Mother Nature permitting, and with the help of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and our legislators, we are cautiously optimistic that we could post a record harvest this year.”
According to the PSA, palay output in the first six months of the year reached 9.08 million metric tons (MT), up 6.4 percent from 8.53 million MT in the same period in 2024.
The increase was supported by a 2.7 percent rise in total area planted to palay, which expanded to 2.12 million hectares.
The second quarter alone saw a 9.2 percent increase in planted area to 972,882 hectares, as farmers capitalized on favorable rainfall in rain-fed areas. Irrigated rice lands also grew from year-ago levels.
To further boost production, the DA and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) implemented programs supporting double-dry cropping in key rice-producing areas.
With the January to June harvest typically accounting for more than 40 percent of the annual total, the strong first-half showing puts the DA’s full-year target of 20.46 million MT within reach.
The Philippines’ record rice harvest was 20.06 million MT in 2023. Output dipped in 2024 to around 19.09 million MT due to alternating periods of El Niño-induced drought and La Niña-triggered floods.
Corn production also improved, rising 5.2 percent year-on-year to 3.9 million MT, following a 27 percent jump in second-quarter output to 1.5 million MT, which offset a 5 percent decline in the first quarter.
Despite the rebound, total area planted to corn slipped slightly to 1.04 million hectares from 1.052 million hectares a year earlier, indicating improved yields.
