Philippine farm output is most likely to take a hit from the current drought which has affecting a major section of rice growing areas of the country.

According to government sources, the 5% on-year target growth for rice production this year is out of reach, but efforts are underway to cushion the impact on output from the dry spell in the central and northern provinces in the main island of Luzon.

A total of 9 million MT was originally expected to be produced in the second half of 2007 but now some 1.1 million MT could be lost to the drought.