Negros Occidental province’s palay production decreased by 11.97 percent in 2024 due to the effects of a prolonged dry spell brought by El Niño, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed.

From January to December last year, total production was only 427,871.60 metric tons (MT).

It was 58,182 MT lower than the 486,053.60 MT total production in 2023.

“Both in irrigated and rainfed palay, the decrease was noted due to the effects of El Niño throughout the province,” the PSA report said.

Irrigated palay production dropped by 6.07 percent, from 340,199 MT in 2023 to only 319,542 MT in 2024, while rainfed palay production decreased by 27.73 percent, from 145,854.60 MT in 2023 to only 108,329.60 in 2024.

Subsequently, the total area harvested for palay declined by 9.49 percent to 116,418.15 hectares in 2024, from 128,628 MT hectares the year before.

For irrigated palay, the area harvested was only 82,917.65 hectares in 2024, lower by 2.91 percent from 85,405 hectares in 2023.

For rainfed palay, the decrease was 22.49 percent, with only 33,500.50 hectares in 2024 compared to 43,223 in 2023.

In terms of average yield in metric tons per hectare, total yield in 2024 decreased by 2.74 percent, from 3.78 MT per hectare in 2023 to 3.68 MT per hectare in 2024.

PSA data further showed that Negros Occidental ranked second in palay production in Western Visayas, with a 23-percent share or 427,871.60 MT in the region’s total production in 2024.

As a form of assistance, the provincial government allotted cash aid of P10 million or P2,000 each to 5,000 affected farmers last year.

In June 2024, Negros Occidental also received cash aid of at least P89.28 million or P10,000 each from the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and Families for a total of 8,929 beneficiaries. (PNA)