Reference Date: 14-January-2013
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FOOD SECURITY SNAPSHOT
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Typhoon Bopha causes some localized crop damage in southern Philippines
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The 2012 main season paddy and maize harvests officially estimated at record levels
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Cereal imports in 2012/13 marketing year to decline
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Prices of rice and maize have remained relatively stable
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Food insecurity persists in some areas of the country
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Typhoon Bopha causes some localized crop damage in southern Philippines
Planting of the 2012/13 secondary season crops, rice and maize, was undertaken from October to December. The start of the season has been characterised by below average rains over much of the country, particularly in interior parts of Regions II, VI and XII. In early December, typhoon Bopha brought heavy rains and wind across the island of Mindanao in southern Philippines causing localised flash flooding and landslides. The reports indicate damages of about 28 000 hectares of rice and 35 000 hectares of maize, mostly in Northern Mindanao and Davao regions. However, the impact on the total national production is expected to be minimal. Early indications for the 2012/13 secondary crop point to an increase in plantings to maize and paddy.
The 2012 main season paddy and maize harvests officially estimated at record levels
Harvesting of the 2012 main season paddy crop was completed by mid-December. The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) has estimated the 2012 main season paddy crop at a record level of 10.1 million tonnes, some 10.7 percent above the previous year’s another record harvest from the corresponding season. Aggregate rice production for 2012, including the main and the ongoing secondary seasons, is estimated at 18 million tonnes (equivalent to 11.8 million tonnes in milled terms), some 6 percent above the 2011 harvest.
The increase mainly reflects, an expansion in the planted area and higher yields following favourable weather as a result of the La Nina Phenomenon during the main season. The biggest increase in production is estimated to come from Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Ilocos Region and Western Visayas. Part of the estimated expansion would also be attributed to the introduction of a third cropping cycle between 2011/12 secondary and the 2012 main seasons, as a result of government’s initiative to reduce the risk of seasonal typhoons which generally occur in October-November. The 2012 main season maize crop, harvested by mid-September 2012, is officially estimated at 3.9 million tonnes, some 7.8 percent above last year’s harvest of the same season. Including the estimated output of the secondary season, harvested in May 2012, the 2012 total maize production is set at 7.4 million tonnes, about 6 percent up on 2011. Significant gains in production are expected from Cagayan Valley and Western Visayas, following an expansion in planted area and favourable weather conditions, as well as shifting from sugarcane in northern Mindanao and from tomato, onion and peanut in Ilocos Sur, La Union and Pangasinan.
Cereal imports in 2012/13 marketing year to decline
The country’s total cereal import requirements for the 2012/13 marketing year (July/June) are forecast at 4.2 million tonnes, some 21 percent below last year’s level as a result of anticipated higher cereal production in 2012. Since wheat is not produced, the country will import all of its consumption requirements forecast at 3.2 million tonnes.
Prices of rice and maize have remained relatively stable mainly in response to the adequate supplies
The national average retail price of regular milled rice has remained relatively stable in recent months reflecting in part, adequate supplies from the 2012 main season paddy harvest and the price stabilizing efforts of the National Food Authority through the Rice Procurement Program. Similarly maize prices have remained generally stable since August 2011.
In December 2012, prices of regular milled rice and white maize were 1.6 and 2 percent higher than in December 2011, respectively.
The latest available official data indicate that a year-on-year increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) in December 2012 was 2.9 percent.
Food insecurity persists in some areas of the country
Overall, food security in the country is considered satisfactory except in areas affected by several typhoons/storms in July, August and December. In all, over 6.6 million people were adversely affected by the typhoons this year, with the majority located in central Luzon and the island of Mindanao. Damage to infrastructure, roads and housing was also reported.