Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. welcomed the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showing higher palay and corn harvests in the first half of 2025, driven by stronger second-quarter output due to improved weather and sustained government support.
“Palay and corn production for the January–June semester gives us hope for a better year for agriculture despite the challenges we now face,” Tiu Laurel said.
“Mother Nature permitting, and with the help of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and lawmakers, we are cautiously optimistic that we could post a record harvest this year.”
PSA data estimated first-half palay production at 9.08 million metric tons, up 6.4 percent from 8.53 million tons in the same period last year.
Total area planted to palay also grew by 2.7 percent to 2.12 million hectares, buoyed by a 9.2 percent increase in the second quarter to 972,882 hectares, as farmers maximized increased rainfall in rainfed areas. Irrigated rice lands also expanded compared to 2024.
In addition to favorable weather, the Department of Agriculture and the National Irrigation Administration rolled out initiatives on double-dry cropping to boost rice output.
Since the first-half harvest typically accounts for more than 40 percent of annual production, the latest figures suggest the country may surpass the DA’s 2025 target of 20.46 million metric tons—higher than the 20.06 million-ton record set in 2023.
Last year’s harvest declined to around 19.09 million tons due to alternating El Niño-induced drought and La Niña-related flooding.
Corn production also saw gains, rising 5.2 percent year-on-year to 3.9 million tons, driven by a 27 percent increase in second-quarter output to 1.5 million tons.
This more than offset the 5 percent dip in the first quarter. Despite increased second-quarter planting, total area planted to corn slipped slightly to 1.049 million hectares from 1.052 million hectares in 2024.
Rice and corn remain vital to the agriculture sector, which contributes about 10 percent to GDP and employs two in every 10 Filipinos.
