ILOILO – The province of Iloilo recorded a decline in palay (unhusked rice) production in 2024 due to the El Niño phenomenon.
Data from the Provincial Agriculture Office (PAgrO) showed that the province produced 831,333.77 metric tons of palay last year, translating to a rice self-sufficiency level of 147.35 percent. This was significantly lower than the 1,066,065.52 metric tons produced in 2023, which had a self-sufficiency level of 182.14 percent, and the 1,016,587.87 metric tons recorded in 2022, with a 175.02 percent sufficiency level.
Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. stated that as early as November 2023, the provincial government had already anticipated the impact of El Niño on the 2024 harvest, particularly since most of Iloilo’s farmlands are rainfed.
“We already knew that 2024 would be a very bad year because of El Niño. We expected delayed rainfall, so this drop in production does not come as a surprise,” Defensor said.
Despite the decline, the governor assured that Iloilo remains rice self-sufficient, capable of supporting local consumption, and even supplying other regions at times.
“In terms of consumption, there is no problem — we have sufficient supply,” he added.
Apart from El Niño, Defensor also cited the limited adoption of hybrid rice seeds among farmers as a contributing factor to the lower output. On average, farmers in the province harvest only 4.6 metric tons per hectare. Additionally, typhoons and pest infestations further affected palay production.
In response to the situation, the governor expressed support for the Department of Agriculture’s recent declaration of a food security emergency. He said this would allow the province to implement programs to mitigate the impact of the production shortfall.
Defensor revealed that the provincial government is finalizing an executive order to ensure Iloilo’s rice supply remains stable and to provide consumers with more affordable rice options.
“The program is already in place, but we want to formalize it with an executive order to ensure proper implementation. While we are self-sufficient, we must also secure our buffer stock in case of shortages,” he explained.
Looking ahead, the governor is hopeful that the province will recover its palay production this year. However, he also raised concerns about the possibility of prolonged rainfall in the latter part of 2025, which could pose new challenges for farmers./PN
