Western Visayas palay output falls 18.1% in first quarter of 2026

Western Visayas produced 450,154 metric tons of palay in the first quarter of 2026, a decline of 18.1 percent from the 549,512 metric tons recorded in the same period last year, according to preliminary data released May 29 by the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Regional Statistical Services Office VI.

The total area harvested also contracted, dropping 3.4 percent from 169,588 hectares in the first quarter of 2025 to 163,814 hectares in the current period.

Both ecosystem types posted lower output. Rainfed palay production fell 21.5 percent, from 290,937 metric tons to 228,446 metric tons. Irrigated palay production declined 14.3 percent, from 258,575 metric tons to 221,708 metric tons.

By harvested area, rainfed land shrank 7.0 percent, from 95,085 hectares to 88,474 hectares. Irrigated area, however, posted a slight gain of 1.1 percent, rising from 74,503 hectares to 75,339 hectares.

Iloilo province accounted for the largest share of regional output at 45.3 percent, or 203,935 metric tons. Capiz followed at 29.9 percent (134,596 metric tons), Antique at 16.0 percent (71,892 metric tons), Aklan at 6.9 percent (31,280 metric tons), and Guimaras at 1.9 percent (8,451 metric tons).

Iloilo also recorded the steepest reduction in harvested area, contributing 4.0 percentage points to the regional decline. Its harvested area fell 7.3 percent, from 93,229 hectares to 86,421 hectares.

Capiz was the only province that posted growth in harvested area, rising 7.9 percent from 38,114 hectares to 41,136 hectares. Aklan fell 7.5 percent, Guimaras declined 5.4 percent, and Antique contracted 4.0 percent.

Average farmgate prices for palay other variety, dry, were volatile across the quarter. The January price stood at PHP 17.86 per kilogram, down 14.4 percent year-on-year. February registered PHP 19.99 per kilogram, a marginal 0.2 percent decline from the year-earlier level. By March, prices recovered to PHP 22.49 per kilogram, representing a 13.9 percent year-on-year increase.

The data were drawn from the PSA’s Palay Production Survey and Farm Price Survey. First-quarter 2026 figures are preliminary.