The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the country’s rice supply remains adequate amid the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine imposed to contain the coronavirus disease pandemic.
In a Laging Handa press briefing, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said around 1.3 million metric tons (MT) of rice purchased by private importers have yet to be delivered to boost the country’s stocks.
This is in addition to the 500,000 MT of rice that have already arrived, bringing the total rice imports to 1.8 million MT to tide the country over towards the lean months.
“We have an expected arrival of 1.3 million MT that we are awaiting from Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar.”
“Meron tayong expected arrival na 1.3 million MT at ito ‘yung binabantayan natin with Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar (We have an expected arrival of 1.3 million MT that we are awaiting from Vietnam, Thailand, and Myanmar),” Dar said.
The agriculture chief said the national rice inventory as of March 2020 is good for 75 days.
“By the end of June 2020, we have a national rice inventory of 67 days so we should have enough supply.”
“Hindi po tayo kukulangin, hindi tayo kakapusin. Sapat na sapat po (We won’t have any shortage. We won’t have any supply deficiency. We have enough [food]),” the agriculture head said. “By the end of June 2020, meron tayong national rice inventory na 67 days, so dapat na sapat po (we have a national rice inventory of 67 days so we should have enough supply).”
Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has recommended the DA’s proposal to import a total of 300,000 MT of rice to President Rodrigo Duterte.
The DA’s proposal to import more rice comes in the wake of reports that rice exporting countries are expected to hold rice shipments to ensure food security amid the prevailing Covid-19 situation.
Dar earlier warned of the possibility of “a tightened global supply” as countries like Vietnam, the world’s largest exporter, decided to halt rice exports in favor of securing stocks for their own people.
To avoid potential shortage, Dar said the DA has implemented measures to continuously expand local food production.
In a March 21 letter to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, the DA asked for a supplemental budget of around P1 billion to fund programs meant to ensuring food security and stable prices amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak.
Dar also requested for a P31-billion supplemental budget to finance a food security program, dubbed as “Ahon Lahat, Pagkaing Sapat (ALPAS) Kontra sa COVID-19.”