NFA confident Phl will be rice self-sufficient in 2014

MANILA, Philippines - The National Food Authority (NFA) on Friday said that it remains optimistic the country will be rice self-sufficient by 2014.

NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperez said the agency will double its efforts to implement projects aimed at expanding areas with sufficient irrigation system and develop agricultural infrastructure.

Estoperez said that they are hoping the country will be spared from devastating cyclones like Super Typhoon Yolanda next year.

“We are also praying that the country will have a favorable climate and will not be visited by destructive calamities next year so that our rice supply will be able to recover quickly,” he said.

The Department of Agriculture is expecting a 3 to 4 percent decline in rice production this year due to the calamities that struck the country in the last quarter.

Agriculture Undersecretary and National Rice Program Coordinator Dante de Lima said that despite the decline, the country had a significant improvement in rice production. He said that the country was able to achieve 97 percent rice self-sufficiency this year compared to last year's 82 percent.