MANILA - The Philippines' unmilled rice production rose 1.5% from a year earlier to 3.519 million tons in the third quarter, less than the government's forecast, partly due to a strong typhoon, state data showed on Wednesday.

The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics had projected paddy output to reach 3.59 million tons in July to September.

The agency said on its web site the production increase resulted from "advanced cropping due to early onset of rainfall and sufficient irrigation."