PSA: Rice production up, consumption seems to be down

File photo of smuggled rice

MANILA – The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said that though domestic rice production has been increasing, Filipinos seem to have been consuming less of the country’s staple grain.

An increase on the per capita production of rice was recorded in the latest Food Consumption and Nurtrition report of the PSA.

From 115.2 kilos in 2006, the latest recorded figure in 2013 reached 123.9 kilos.

The agency also said that the rice production posted an index of 107.48 percent in 2013 based on the 2006 levels.

According to the agency this is equivalent to a 7.

5 percentage points higher than the base year recorded in the rice capita production in 2013.

Despite this rise, the average consumption of rice went down to 319.1 grams per person a day or a total of 116.5 kilos a year.

This is figure shows a slight decrease from the 325.2 grams consumed daily or 120 kilos a year in 2006.