Philippine Q2 rice output up 1.9 pct yr/yr -data

Published: 12 Aug 2009 20:38:18 PST

MANILA, Aug 13 - Unmilled rice output in the Philippines, the world's biggest importer of the grain, grew nearly 2 percent to 3.435 million tonnes in the second quarter from a year earlier, data from the state agriculture agency showed on Thursday.

The agriculture department is expected to release official data on second quarter output later this week or next week.

"The increment was largely attributed to expanded area harvested due to sufficient water supply from irrigation and rains, increased use of hybrid and certified seeds and fertiliser application," the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics said in a report on its Website www.bas.gov.ph.