In 2024, the agricultural sector of Negros Occidental faced a significant setback as palay production fell by 11.97%, a direct consequence of the El Niño-induced drought. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released these figures on February 17, 2025, highlighting the impact of the prolonged dry spell on the province’s rice fields. Last year’s total palay production amounted to 427,871.60 metric tons (MT), a decrease of 58,182 MT from the 486,053.60 MT recorded in 2023. The PSA noted that the decline affected both irrigated and rainfed palay across the province. Specifically, irrigated palay production saw a 6.07% drop, reducing from 340,199 MT in 2023 to 319,542 MT in 2024, while rainfed palay production plummeted by 27.73%, from 145,854.60 MT to 108,329.60 MT over the same period. The harvested area for palay also shrank by 9.49%, totaling 116,418.15 hectares in 2024, down from 128,628 hectares the previous year. For irrigated palay, the harvested area decreased by 2.91% to 82,917.65 hectares, and for rainfed palay, it fell by 22.49% to 33,500.50 hectares. The average yield per hectare also declined by 2.74%, from 3.78 MT in 2023 to 3.68 MT in 2024. Despite the downturn, Negros Occidental maintained its position as the second-largest palay producer in Western Visayas, contributing 23% or 427,871.60 MT to the region’s total output in 2024. In response to the crisis, the provincial government provided PHP10 million in cash aid, distributing PHP2,000 to each of the 5,000 affected farmers. Additionally, in June 2024, the province received PHP89.28 million from the Presidential Assistance to Farmers, Fisherfolk and Families, benefiting 8,929 individuals with PHP10,000 each.
