Cambodia Rice: World Rice News: 'No more rice imports in 2013'

'No more rice imports in 2013'

ZAMBOANGA CITY, Philippines – The Philippines will no longer import rice in 2013 because it has already reached sufficient production of the food staple, according to Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

Alcala said the country will be on trial export of a variety of rice early next year and the first target will be in the Middle East.

He said the country used to require 21-million metric tons of palay and the rice production from 2012 to 2013 will reach 20.4 million metric tons, which will reduce the need for imports to 500 metric tons.

He said the difference was very slim and if not for the recent typhoons that hit the rice producing areas in Luzon, the deficit would have already been wiped out.

“We have reached enough production of rice. We are on the right track in submitting the food staple sufficiency,” Alcala told newsmen here over the weekend.

The agriculture secretary added that what is being imported are just buffer stock.

“Early next year we will start trial export variety of rice with the bilateral agreement with Qatar,” he said, adding that they are now in the process of expanding the production of ‘basmate’ rice, a long grain variety said to be a favorite in the Middle East.

Alcala said they will maximize rice production and were checking on island municipalities to develop the potentials.

Source: Philstar

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