Rice in general, is the most vital nourishment, a staple sustenance in the vast majority of the nation. It is produced widely in Luzon, the Western Visayas, Southern Mindanao, and Central Mindanao. It is imperative to the nourishment supply in the nation and economy.
The Philippines is the ninth biggest rice maker on the planet, representing 2.8% of worldwide rice production. The Philippines has around 300,000 square kilometers, of which around 43,000 square kilometers of harvested area are utilized for rice production. As the greater part of the nation is very mountainous and comprises of numerous little islands, suitable land is restricted to extend rice production into without influencing wetlands, woods, or regions producing different crops. Urban regions additionally keep on expanding quickly. Irrigation infrastructure isn’t utilized and kept up as proficiently as it could be, in this way diminishing efficiency potential. Transport infrastructure, especially good-quality roads, is inadequate in the Philippines, which influences the transport of rice and hinders the rice trade. In 2010, almost 20.7 million metric tons of palay (pre-husked rice) were produced. In 2010, palay represented 21.86% percent of gross value included agriculture and 2.37% of GNP. Palay yields for January to June 2017 were higher than their 2016 levels by 12.06 percent. April – June 2017 palay production at 4.15 million MT increased by 11.72 percent from the 2016 yield of 3.73 million MT. Harvest area extended to 947 thousand hectares from earlier year’s record of 848 thousand hectares. In any case, yield per hectare balanced out at 4.38 MT from the earlier year’s level.
The biggest plain in the Philippines is situated in Central Luzon. The locale is a mix of transcending mountains, extinct and active volcanoes, lavish, verdant farmlands, and regular ocean harbors. It is encompassed by Sierra Madre Mountains in the east, the Zambales mountain range in the south, and the Caraballo Mountains in the north (DENR, 2012). Limited by the Pacific Ocean in the east and South China Sea in the west, Central Luzon contains the territories of Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, and Zambales. The region has a populace of 10.14 million starting at 2010 (BAS, 2012) and positions third among all regions across the nation as far as population density in a land area of just 22,015 km2. For two cropping seasons the Region III is able to deliver 3,220,607 metric tons out of 675.781 hectares averaging yield of 4.77 metric tons for every hectare. Central Luzon has 180,944 hectares of rice lands, fed by water dams and rain, and acquired a 138% rice adequacy level in 2012 in spite of the downpours brought by the southwest monsoon. Rice farms in Aurora, Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac and Zambales areas create an average of 4.5 metric ton for every hectare, which is higher than the national average of 3.9 metric ton. Nueva Ecija harvests in the vicinity of 7 and 12 metric ton because of the utilization of certified or hybrid seeds. Nueva Ecija and Bulacan are considered as the leading rice producers in the nation. The two area provinces receives four million pesos for projects in enhancing rice production to accomplish the independence of rice in the nation and to recover its status as a rice exporter.
The information gathered from Bureau of Agricultural Statistics demonstrates that the Bulacan has expanded its 2014 rice production to 368,393 metric tons from 366,927 metric tons in 2013 in spite of the of disasters and irrigation water shortages. The Provincial Agricultural Office conducts Palay Check Farmers Field School, condition of farm machineries and post-harvest facilities, access to Financing (SIKAT SAKA Program) with the provision of inputs like organic fertilizer and locally funded seed subsidy for the farmers. Still the rice ranchers experience issues. They experience the ill effects of the lack of storage, harvest facilities like dryers and unregulated land conversion in irrigated farmlands in few regions of Bulacan.
Rice is the most important product to a large number of small farmers who develop it on millions of hectares all through the area, and to the numerous landless laborers who get salary from working on these farms. Later on, it is imperative that rice production will keep on growing in any event as quickly as the populace, if not quicker. Rice research that grows new advances for all farmers has a key part to play in addressing this need and adding to global efforts directed at poverty alleviation.