PH rice supply sufficient until next harvest season
PNA
MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is
expecting some three months’ worth of national rice stock inventory by the end
of December in addition to rice supply sourced abroad, thus enough supply until
the next harvest season.
“At the end we’re expecting mga (around) 85 to 90 days
national stock inventory by end of December which is enough na ma-itawid natin
hanggang sa susunod na (to last until) harvest season come March or April,” DA
Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said at the Saturday News Forum in Quezon
City.
“Siyempre mayroon din namang import na dumarating kasi
liberalized naman iyong importation natin. Based on historical data, may
dumarating din na imports additional (Of course, imports are expected because
out importation system is liberalized. Based on historical data, there will be
additional imports) during the first quarter,” he added.
De Mesa said the DA
is expecting at least 20 million metric tons (MT) before yearend.
The country’s imports as of November have reached 3.03
million MT, lower compared to last year’s 3.5 million MT for the same period.
“Last year ang kabuuan (the total is) is 3.8 [MT]. We’re
expecting this year mga (around) 3.2, 3.3 million metric tons wala pa iyong
Indian rice. So, kumbaga, magkaroon lang na kaunting diprensiya, so plus
matatag naman iyong ating (excluding the Indian rice. There will be a slight
difference and we have stable) production,” De Mesa said.
The DA is waiting for the delivery of the 95,000 MT of
Indian rice out of the 295,000 MT secured by the government.
Succeeding deliveries are expected in January, De Mesa added.
