THE country’s palay (unmilled rice) production both for the third quarter and for the first nine months of the year both declined, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed late Thursday. Palay output from July to September reached 3.082 million metric tons (MT), down 17.77 percent from 3.748 million MT a year ago. Meanwhile, total palay production from January to September fell 5.61 percent to 12.10 million MT from 12.82 million MT last year. Sought for comment, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. attributed the palay decline to lower planting intentions due to fuel and fertilizer costs, among others.
“Yes, [this] is expected... High fertilizer prices, less planting intention due to high prices of fuel and fertilizer, plus habagat effects,” Tiu Laurel told The Manila Times on Friday.
Irrigated palay output also fell for the third quarter to 2.348 million MT, down 15.82 percent from 2,790 million MT last year. From January to September, irrigated palay output slumped by 4.14 percent to 9.77 million MT.
Rainfed palay dropped by 23.45 percent in Q3 to 733,571.99 MT. For the nine-month period, it dropped by 11.30 percent to 2.33 million MT from 2.63 million MT.
By region, Cagayan Valley led the palay harvests with 375,396.86 MT, followed by Soccsksargen (375,332.08 MT) and Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (290,199.42 MT).
By province, Isabela topped the palay harvests with 229,664.80 MT, followed by Zamboanga del Sur (181,116.07 MT) and Bukidnon (151,966.17 MT).
In 2025, palay production reached 19.68 million MT, according to the PSA.
To protect local buffer stocks from El Niño, the Department of Agriculture said that rice imports are not barred from entering the country. Also, the agency stated the Philippines may need to import as much as 5 million MT of rice.
Prices of food products mixed
PSA also reported that the nationwide average retail price of rice increased while fresh pork liempo dropped in mid-October.
Well-milled rice had an average retail price of P56.25 per kilogram (kg) during the second phase of October (Oct. 15 to 17), higher than P56.13/kg in the first phase of October and P56.07/kg in mid-September.
Compared with prices from a year ago, the average retail price of well-milled rice in mid-October 2026 is also higher from mid-October 2025 at P47.37/kg and in early October 2025 at P47.30/kg.
For fresh pork liempo, its average retail price in mid-October dropped to P342.97/kg, lower than P345.10/kg in early October and P349.89 in mid-September.
Likewise, this showed a decrease from its average retail prices of P374.84/kg in the second phase of October 2025 and P376.99/kg in the first phase of October 2025.
Other commodities showed a decrease in mid-October such as galunggong (round scad), Baguio beans, Hawaiian ginger and refined sugar.
Galunggong in mid-October costs P237.96/kg, lower than the average retail prices of P241.55/kg in early October and P242.77/kg in mid-September 2026.
Year on year, galunggong price in mid-October 2026 was higher relative to its price levels of P237.77/kg in mid-October 2025 and P233.90/kg in early October 2025.
Baguio beans cost P157.76/kg in mid-October 2026, lower than P171.99/kg in early October and P162.62/kg in mid-September 2026.
Year on year, prices were higher compared to P132.34/kg in mid-October 2025 and P135.90/kg in early October 2025.
Hawaiian ginger averaged P159.66/kg nationwide in mid-October 2026, down from P161.61/kg in early October and P163.69/kg in mid-September 2026.
Prices were also lower year on year compared to P170.74/kg in mid-October 2025 and P172.84/kg in early October 2025.
Refined sugar costs P82.08/kg nationwide in mid-October 2026, slightly lower than P82.29/kg in early October and P82.60/kg in mid-September 2026.
It also declined year on year from P83.16/kg in mid-October 2025 and P83.37/kg in early October 2025.
Just like well-milled rice, Carabao mango’s price/kg increased, costing P202.03/kg nationwide in mid-October 2026, up from P198.97/kg in early October and P189.41/kg in mid-September 2026.
It was also higher year on year compared to P175.81/kg in mid-October 2025 and P176.79/kg in early October 2025.
