The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute are projecting a positive harvest output for the first quarter of 2019.

The projection was made after standing crops were reported showing no diseases or infestation. Good weather, likewise, was also seen to help improve the upcoming harvest.

Also expected to boost the rice production for 2019 is the increased use by farmers of inbred and hybrid seeds from 48 percent in 2017 to 60 percent this year.

According to the DA, the use of good quality seeds increases yield from four-metric tons per hectare per harvest to at least six-metric tons or even as high as 10 metric tons.

“The release of the P10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund or RCEF which allocates P5 billion for mechanization and P3 billion for inbred rice seeds will also contribute to higher rice production,” the DA said in a statement.

With the good weather and increased government interventions, the DA has set a 2019 production target of 20 million metric tons.