Palay output seen to reach 20 million MT in 2021 By JON VIKTOR D. CABUENAS, GMA News Published April 18, 2021 4:52pm The Philippines' palay (unmilled rice) production is expected to reach 20 million metric tons this year to mark another all-time high, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA). Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the country is likely to achieve a record-high production of 20.4 million metric tons of palay this year, up from the 19.3 million recorded in 2019. "Despite the pandemic, we are slowly but surely hurdling the challenges in the implementation of [the Rice Tariffication Law] with tangible results in terms of palay productivity, farmgate price, and retail prices of rice," said Dar.