Rice production in the country of Philippines is important to the food supply in the

country and economy. The Philippines is the 8th largest rice producer in the world,
accounting for 2.8% of global rice production.[1] The Philippines was also the
world's largest rice importer in 2010.

Rice is the most important food crop, a staple food in most of the country. It is
produced extensively in Luzon, the Western Visayas, Southern Mindanao, and
Central Mindanao.

In 2010, nearly 20.7 million metric tons of palay (pre-husked rice) were produced.[4]
In 2010, palay accounted for 21.86% percent of gross value added in agriculture
and 2.37% of GNP.

Historically, the per hectare rice yields in the Philippines have generally been low in
comparison with other Asian countries.

Since the mid-1800s yields have increased substantially as a result of the cultivation
of high-yielding rice varieties developed in the mid-1960s at the International Rice
Research Institute located in the Philippines. The proportion of "miracle" rice in total
output rose from zero in 1965-66 to 81 percent in 1981-82.[3] Average productivity
increased from 1.23 metric tons per hectare in 1961 to 3.59 metric tons per hectare
in 2009. [1]

This green revolution was accompanied by an expanded use of chemical inputs.

Among farmers surveyed in Central Luzon, the quantity of insecticide active
ingredient applied per hectare increased tenfold from 1966 to 1979, from less than
0.1 kilogram per hectare to nearly 1.0 kilogram per hectare. By the mid-1990s, this
figure had been cut in half. Since then, use has declined even more, and levels of
insecticide use are now slightly below what they were before the Green Revolution
began.

The government also undertook a major expansion of the nation's irrigation system.
The area under irrigation grew from under 500,000 hectares in the mid-1960s to 1.5
million hectares in 2009, almost half of the potentially irrigable land.[4]

In the 1980s rice production encountered problems. Average annual growth for
1980-85 declined to a mere 0.9 percent, as contrasted with 4.6 percent for the
preceding fifteen years. Growth of value added in the rice industry also fell in the
1980s. Tropical storms and droughts, the general economic downturn of the 1980s,
and the 1983-85 economic crisis all contributed to this decline.[3]

Crop loans dried up, prices of agricultural inputs increased, and palay prices
declined. Fertilizer and plant nutrient consumption dropped 15 percent. Farmers
were squeezed by rising debts and declining income. Hectarage devoted to rice
production, level during the latter half of the 1970s, fell an average of 2.4 percent
per annum during the first half of the 1980s, with the decline primarily in marginal,
nonirrigated farms. As a result, in 1985, the last full year of the Marcos regime, the
country imported 538,000 tons of rice.[3]
The situation improved somewhat in the late 1980s, and smaller amounts of rice
were imported. In 1990 the country experienced a severe drought. Output fell by
1.5 percent, forcing the importation of an estimated 400,000 tons of rice.

Agriculture in the Philippines employs 30% of the Filipino workforce as of 2013,

according to World Bank statistics.[1] Agriculture accounts for 12% of Filipino GDP
as of 2013, according to the World Bank.

The Philippines is the 8th largest rice producer in the world, accounting for 2.8% of
global rice production.[3] The Philippines was also the world's largest rice importer
in 2010.[4] In 2010, nearly 15.7 million metric tons of palay (pre-husked rice) were
produced.[5] In 2010, palay accounted for 21.86% percent of gross value added in
agriculture and 2.37% of GNP.[6] Self-sufficiency in rice reached 88.93% in 2015.[7]

Rice production in the Philippines has grown significantly since the 1950s. Improved
varieties of rice developed during the Green Revolution, including at the
International Rice Research Institute based in the Philippines have improved crop
yields. Crop yields have also improved due to increased use of fertilisers. Average
productivity increased from 1.23 metric tons per hectare in 1961 to 3.59 metric tons
per hectare in 2009.[3]

Harvest Yields have increased significantly by using foliar fertilizer (Rc 62 -> 27%
increase, Rc 80 -> 40% increase, Rc 64 -> 86% increase) based on PhilRice National
Averages.

The table below shows some of the agricultural products of the country per region.

Coconu Sugarcan Pineappl Watermelo Banan

Region Rice Corn
t e e n a

NCR 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Central Visayas 269,801 101,333 274,069 241,573 998 1,161 126,220

CALABARZON 392,907 64,823 1,379,297 1,741,706 88,660 2,950 96,306

Cordillera (CAR) 400,911 237,823 1,165 51,787 814 141 26,576

Davao Region 441,868 224,100 2,246,188 208,743 26,880 1,070 3,455,014

 Coconu Sugarcan Pineappl Watermelo Banan
Region Rice Corn
t e e n a

CARAGA Region 481,311 118,774 804,722 0 2,682 3,010 259,738

ARMM 488,215 673,036 1,393,168 113,343 921 80 531,048

Negros Island Region 557,632 185,747 274,315 13,440,259 9,468 546 157,974

Zamboanga
661,775 220,180 1,682,121 107 1,657 638 281,856
Peninsula

1,216,30
Northern Mindanao 725,120 1,851,702 3,065,463 1,468,386 2,024 1,832,173
1

Eastern Visayas 955,709 91,145 1,165,867 179,363 7,186 670 227,223

1,081,83
MIMAROPA 125,492 818,146 0 448 3,192 168,299
3

1,264,44
Bicol Region 243,908 1,105,743 239,010 130,595 5,598 76,452
8

1,291,64 1,239,27
SOCCSKSARGEN 1,159,818 680,383 794,334 2,132 1,159,091
4 5

1,565,58
Western Visayas 213,362 294,547 1,682,940 12,687 83,336 200,222
5

1,777,12
Ilocos Region 490,943 39,463 19,512 197 26,936 43,164
1

2,489,64 1,801,19
Cagayan Valley 77,118 583,808 35,129 7,416 384,134
7 4

3,304,31
Central Luzon 271,319 167,737 678,439 1,657 7,103 58,439
0
The Philippines is an archipelago of some 7,107 islands located between 4 and 21
N latitude and 116 and 127 E longitude. The country is bounded by the South
China Sea to the west, the Pacific Ocean to the east, the Sulu and Celebes seas to
the south, and the Bashi Channel to the north.

It is divided into three main geographic areas: Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. The
climate is tropical marine, which is mainly moderated by the surrounding seas, with
a November to April northeast monsoon and a May to October southwest monsoon.
Climate varies within the country because of the mountainous topography. There
are four general climatic types: (1) two pronounced seasons, dry from November to
April and wet the rest of the year (Central Luzon, western Visayas), (2) absence of a
dry period, but with maximum rains from November to January (eastern Luzon,
eastern Visayas, and northeastern Mindanao), (3) dry from November to February
and wet the rest of the year (central Visayas, western Bicol, northern Mindanao),
and (4) more or less even rainfall distribution throughout the year (central
Mindanao).

The population of the Philippines has more than tripled since IRRI developed the
first high-yielding variety and released it in the mid-1960s. Back then, the
population was only 32.7 million. The countrys population surpassed 93 million in
2010, with about 313 per km. The population grew at 1.9% per year for 2005-10,
which was lower than the 2.4% for 1985-95. Urbanization has continued in recent
years. The proportion of the urban population increased from 57% in 2000 to around
65% in 2010. Employment in the agricultural sector accounts for 31% of the about
39 million-person labor force.

The Philippines economy is vastly dependent on service and manufacturing. The

countrys most vital industries are food processing, textiles and garments,
electronics, and automobile parts. It also has substantial reserves of chromite,
nickel, copper, coal, and recently discovered oil. The nations GDP rose from $2,056
in 1995 to $3,952 in 2010. About 13% of GDP is contributed by the agricultural and
fishery sector.

In addition to rice, the Philippines produces other major crops such as sugarcane,
coconut, banana, pineapple, mango, coffee, maize, and cassava.

Recent developments in the rice sector

The Philippines is the worlds eighth-largest rice producer. Its arable land totals 5.4
million hectares. Rice area harvested has expanded from nearly 3.8 million hectares
in 1995 to about 4.4 million hectares in 2010. However, the countrys rice area
harvested is still very small compared with that of the other major rice-producing
countries in Asia. More than two-thirds (69%) of its rice area is irrigated. The
countrys production increased by a third, from 10.5 million t in 1995 to 15.8 million
t in 2010. Seventy-one percent of rice production came from irrigated areas.
Although yield improved from 2.8 t/ha in 1995 to 3.6 t/ha in 2010, it was still way
below the yield potential of modern varieties.
Rice is a staple food for most Filipinos across the country. The nations per capita
rice consumption rose from 93.2 kg per year in 1995 to 123.3 kg per year in 2009.
Similarly, per capita caloric intake from rice rose from 917 kcal per day in 1995 to
1,213 kcal per day in 2009. Protein requirements from rice, on average, increased
from 29.7% in 1995 to 34.8% per person per day in 2009.

The Philippines imports about 10% of its annual consumption requirements. In 2010
and 2011, the country was the biggest rice importer. Its rice imports amounted to
2.38 million t in 2010, mostly coming from Vietnam and Thailand. Despite these
imports, rice prices for consumers are some of the highest in developing Asia (as
are farm-gate prices for farmers). The high prices are enforced through an import
control by the National Food Authority (NFA), a government agency, which also
procures paddy from farmers at a government support price. The NFA is also
involved in rice distribution by selling rice through the agencys licensed and
accredited retailers/wholesalers in strategic areas at a predetermined price.

Although rice is the main staple in the country, it is a highly political commodity. The
Philippine rice sector has always been the center of the governments agricultural
policies. The focal points of the policies revolve around promoting rice self-
sufficiency and providing high income to farmers while making rice prices affordable
to consumers.

One of the most significant programs of the government for the rice sector is The
Philippine rice master plan 2009-13enhancing provincial rice self-sufficiency. This
rice master plan envisions a 100% self-sufficient rice economy by 2013 through
improved rice productivity, and increased income of rice farmers. This plan pursues
location-specific interventions that can help farmers achieve higher yield. It focuses
on how interventions can improve productivity toward sufficient yield. These include
improvement of the effectiveness and efficiency of irrigation systems through
rehabilitation; the use of high-quality hybrid and inbred seeds and farmers
varieties; integrated and sustainable crop management technologies; the provision
of soft loans for the establishment of shallow tube wells and surface water pumps;
and delivery of extension support services. Rice seed subsidy schemes for farmers
were implemented to acquire high-yielding varieties, including hybrid rice varieties.

The government also extends support for farm mechanization through its Rice
Mechanization Program. It aims to procure and distribute postharvest (drying and
milling) units and on-farm machinery through a financing scheme wherein the
government shoulders a big part of the cost.

Rice environments

The major rice-producing parts of the country are Central Luzon (18.7%), western
Visayas (11.3%), Cagayan Valley (11%), Ilocos region (9.8%), SOCCSKSARGEN
(7.5%), and Bicol region (6.8%). SOCCSKSARGEN is a newly created region in
central Mindanao comprising North Cotabato, Sarangani, South Cotabato, and
Sultan Kudarat provinces.

Almost 70% of the total rice area is irrigated and the remaining 30% is rainfed and
upland. Much of the countrys irrigated rice is grown on the central plain of Luzon,
the countrys ricebowl. Rainfed rice is found in the Cagayan Valley in northern
Luzon, in Iloilo Province, and on the coastal plains of Visayas and Ilocos in northern
Luzon. Upland rice is grown in both permanent and shifting cultivation systems
scattered throughout the archipelago on rolling to steep lands.

Because of their higher profitability for farmers, modern high-yielding varieties

account for the vast majority of rice production, with less than 3% of production
coming from traditional varieties. Labor use on rice is lower than in many
developing Asian countries at about 60 person-days/hectare/crop. Some of the
reasons for the relatively low labor use are the widespread use of direct seeding and
the mechanization of land preparation and threshing in many parts of the country.

Farm-level rice yields in the Philippines have grown in the last decade without a
significant change in inputs (fertilizer, herbicides) and crop establishment methods.
This progress in rice yields could be related to the use of good-quality seeds: hybrid
and certified seeds. With strong partnership and support from IRRI, the country
recently released a rice variety for irrigated lowlands, the IRRI-bred Tubigan 18
(NSIC Rc222 or IRRI 154), which yields up to 10 t/ha and has an average of 6 t/ha,
1213% higher than that of the popular and widely used rice variety PSB Rc82, also
bred by IRRI and known as IRRI 123. The high-yielding Tubigan varieties are
recommended for irrigated lowland areas but tests done nationwide showed that
they can also perform well in rainfed areas, particularly during the wet season.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) has also recently produced one
aromatic rice variety, Mabango (NSIC Rc128), and four glutinous rice varieties:
Malagkit 1 (NSIC Rc13), Malagkit 2 (NSIC Rc15), Malagkit 3 (NSIC Rc17), and
Malagkit 4 (NSIC Rc19).

Rice production constraints

Climate change, growing population, declining land area, high cost of inputs, and
poor drainage and inadequate irrigation facilities are the major constraints to rice
production in the Philippines. Some of these constraints are interrelated. Unabated
conversion of some agricultural land to residential, commercial, and industrial land
reduces the area devoted to rice production, which leads to a shortage in domestic
supply.

Climate change and the vulnerability of crop production to drought and heavy
rainfall, especially during the typhoon season, severely affect production. The
Philippines bears the brunt of typhoons coming in from the Pacific Ocean.
Successive heavy rains cause severe drainage problems in paddy fields, thus
resulting in a significant reduction in rice yield and quality. There is also concern
about the deterioration of irrigation systems at least partially because of a lack of
funding for maintenance. Rainfed lowland rice suffers from uncertain timing of the
arrival of rains, and drought and submergenceoften in the same fields over the
course of a single season or in different fields within a farm over the same season.
Weeds, drought, diseases (blast), acidic soils, and soil erosion are major problems of
upland rice in the Philippines. The high cost of inputs, particularly fertilizer, hinders
farmers from applying optimal fertilizer amounts to input-responsive high-yielding
varieties.
Rice production opportunities

For the Philippines to become self-sufficient in rice, it has to adopt existing

technologies such as improved varieties and know-how to have yield increase by 1
3 t/ha. Better quality seed combined with good management, including new
postharvest technologies, is the best way to improve rice yields and the quality of
production.

Since current rice yield is way below the yield potential of most modern varieties,
improved fertilizer use and crop management, better irrigation facilities, and high-
yielding varieties can boost the countrys rice output. The main source of additional
rice production is improved yield growth. However, the government must implement
a strategy to reduce population growth since the actual volume of rice produced by
the country is not enough to match rice demand because of the high increase in
population. If population growth will be higher than the growth in yield, the country
will continue to import rice from other countries to meet domestic demand for rice
in the coming years.