The Department of Agriculture (DA) Bicol has reported a slight decline in palay (unmilled rice) production for the region, attributed primarily to adverse weather conditions and other agricultural challenges.
Florentino Ubalde Jr., the Agricultural Program Coordinating Officer of DA Bicol, provided insights into the current state of the region’s palay production and efforts to stabilize rice prices.
Based on data from the DA Bicol, the palay production for fiscal year 2024 decreased by 0.72% compared to the previous year. In 2023, the region produced 1.3 million metric tons of palay, but this dropped to 1.2 million metric tons in 2024.
The production area for palay in Bicol also saw a slight decrease of 0.97%. In 2023, a total of 334,000 hectares were cultivated, while in 2024, this was reduced to 338.6 hectares. Similarly, the yield per hectare declined by 0.9%, from 3.79 metric tons per hectare in 2023 to 3.6 metric tons per hectare in 2024.
Ubalde noted that while the decline is not drastic, it still reflects the challenges faced by farmers in the region.
These include the impact of extreme weather conditions, particularly the heavy rains and flooding brought by Typhoons Christine and Pepito in 2024.
Impact of Weather Conditions
According to Ubalde, the region’s palay production was affected by the adverse weather during the dry season cropping of 2024-2025.
Flooding caused by the two typhoons damaged a significant portion of the crops, forcing farmers to replant.
Although the 2025 data is not yet available due to the ongoing harvest season, the damage from last year’s floods is expected to influence this year’s figures.
“We hope that March will remain dry, allowing our farmers to recover,” Ubalde said.
Efforts to Stabilize Rice Prices
Amid the decrease in production, the National Food Authority (NFA) has taken steps to stabilize rice prices in the region. The NFA has started distributing its buffer stock to local government units (LGUs) to help regulate rice prices and address the limited supply of palay.
Under an administrative order, the NFA is selling rice to LGUs at PHP 33 per kilogram, with a PHP 2 markup imposed by the LGUs.
These rice stocks are made available through Kadiwa outlets and partner agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Office of Civil Defense (OCD), and the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The intervention is part of the government’s response to the emergency food security declaration due to escalating rice prices and limited palay supply.
DA Bicol expressed optimism that this initiative will help alleviate the impact of declining production on rice prices and improve food security in the region.