Western Visayas rice prices rise as palay yield drop

By Mariela Angella Oladive

Farmgate prices of dry palay in Western Visayas rose by March despite an 18.1% drop in palay production in the first quarter of 2026, according to preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority’s Palay Production Survey.

The average farmgate price of dry palay classified as “other varieties” stood at PHP 17.86 per kilogram in January, down 14.4% from the level recorded a year earlier.

In February, the average price reached PHP 19.99 per kilogram, slightly lower by 0.2% year on year.

By March, however, the average farmgate price climbed to PHP 22.49 per kilogram, reflecting a 13.9% increase compared with the same month in 2025.

The price movement came as regional palay output dropped to 450,154 metric tons from 549,512 MT recorded during the same period last year.

The decline was accompanied by a 3.4% reduction in harvested area, which fell to 163,814 hectares from 169,588 hectares in the first quarter of 2025.

PSA data showed that production declined in both rain-fed and irrigated farming ecosystems, with rain-fed areas registering the steeper drop.

Rain-fed palay production decreased by 21.5% to 228,446 MT from 290,937 MT a year earlier.

Irrigated areas produced 221,708 MT, down 14.3% from 258,575 MT in the same quarter of 2025.

Harvested area in rain-fed farms also declined by 7%, from 95,085 hectares to 88,474 hectares.

Meanwhile, irrigated harvested area posted a slight increase of 1.1%, reaching 74,503 hectares from 75,339 hectares in the previous year.

Among provinces, Iloilo remained the region’s leading palay producer, contributing 203,935 MT, or 45.3% of total regional output.

Capiz followed with 134,596 MT, accounting for 29.9%, while Antique produced 71,892 MT, or 16%.

Aklan contributed 31,280 MT, equivalent to 6.9% of regional production, while Guimaras posted the smallest share at 8,451 MT, or 1.9%.

In terms of harvested area, Iloilo accounted for the largest share at 86,421 hectares, or 52.8% of the regional total.

Capiz followed with 41,136 hectares, or 25.1%, while Antique recorded 21,765 hectares, or 13.3%.

Aklan posted a harvested area of 10,397 hectares, representing 6.4% of the total, while Guimaras accounted for 4,095 hectares, or 2.5%.

Data for the first quarter of 2026 were classified as preliminary.