‘No more imports of rice by 2014’

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will no longer import rice by 2014 as it significantly reduces its programmed importation for this year, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala announced yesterday.

“We will achieve zero (rice) importation by 2014,” he said in a forum in Ateneo de Manila yesterday.

Alcala had previously targeted zero importation by this year.

He said, however, the National Food Authority (NFA) approved during a recent meeting the importation of 187,000 metric tons (MT) of rice for this year to cover the country’s buffer stock requirements.

Alcala said the programmed volume would be obtained through a government-to-government importation scheme.

“We just need it for buffer stock so there is no need to engage the private sector,” he said.

The government plans to hold the bidding in April so that the shipment would arrive in the country by June, in time for the lean season.

Prospective suppliers include Vietnam, Thailand and Cambodia.

In 2012, the NFA allowed the importation of around 500,000 MT of rice.

This year, the Philippines intends to produce 20.4 million MT of palay, up from 18.03 million produced in 2012.

Alcala said the NFA council is also deliberating on the exportation of yellow corn next year.

“If it is determined that the local supply is enough, we might as well allow exportation so that storage will not be a problem,” he said.

Should corn exportation push through by next year, local buyers would be given the right of first refusal before stocks are bid out to foreign buyers.

Farm gate prices of corn are currently placed at P11.50 per kilo.