Rice output seen at record 19.4 million tons in 2017

MANILA - Unmilled rice production in the Philippines, one of the world's biggest buyers of the grain, is expected to rise 10.1 percent to a record 19.409 million tonnes this year from 17.627 million tonnes last year, the government's statistics agency said on Tuesday.

In the first quarter of 2018, rice output is forecast to rise by 2.6 percent to 4.533 million tonnes from 4.419 million tonnes this year, the Philippine Statistics Authority said.

Expectations of an increase in annual output, based on standing crop, were attributed to higher yields in most growing regions, it said.

A bumper harvest has limited the Philippines' rice purchases overseas. The state grains agency last purchased 250,000 tonnes of rice via a tender in July.