ILOILO CITY—For the first semester of the year, rice production in Western Visayas region posted a 12-percent growth even despite the challenges posed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
“We are expecting that the harvest this wet season will further increase the volume of rice production,” said Regional Director Remelyn Recoter of the Department of Agriculture (DA-6).
Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Recoter said that rice production in the region for the first semester is 753,832 metric tons (MT). In comparison, it was only 672,152 MT for the same period in 2019.
During the recent celebration of World Food Day, Recoter said DA-6 is targeting to surpass the 2.07 MT of rice produced last year in Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, and Negros Occidental provinces. She added it is imperative to have stable rice supply due to the uncertainty posed by COVID-19.
But DA-6 admitted that there may be hindrances in reaching the target as planting has been delayed with the early onset of the wet season.
Recoter said that many farmers opted to plant within the month of July instead of earlier in June or even in May.
Another major concern is the La Niña phenomenon which is expected to hit the country around November of this year until January, 2021. The onslaught of more rainfall may also damage the crops and the yield for the last quarter of the year.