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Rice supply sufficient until next year, says DA
The Philippines will still have a sufficient supply of rice until next year, according to the Department of Agriculture. In a news forum on Saturday, DA Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the country was able to draw up a “stable supply” of rice since August and it is expected to last until November. “We expect the national inventory stocks to reach 77 days this month, which is expected to increase up to 94 days in November this year due to the continued harvest this wet season,” De Mesa said in an. Interview. He noted that the rice importation is not yet included in the count. “Maasahan po natin na talagang sapat at maganda at matatag po ang supply ng bigas natin na maaasahan po natin hanggang sa pagpasok po ng susunod na taon na 2024,” he said. De Mesa said there will be a “bumper in the rice harvests” during the wet season and that the government is expecting a more stabilized rice supply until next year. “We do not see any movement of rice prices in the market,” he added. De Mesa said more supply will add up once the rice imports are delivered to the country by the end of September. “Pumalo po ito sa mahigit 271,000 metric tons at historically ay marami pa rin naman iyong pumapasok na imports sa last quarter na bahagi ng taon,” he added. The government, he said, is also working on reducing the cost of production in the Philippines” in order to ensure the affordable prices of basic commodities in the market.” The post Rice supply sufficient until next year, says DA appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
16th National Rice Technology Forum focuses on ramping up local rice production
Hundreds of participants from different parts of the country took part in the 16th National Rice Technology Forum (NRTF) which was launched on 19 September in Hagonoy and Digos City, Davao del Sur. With the theme, “Masaganang Palay at Bigas, Maunlad na Pilipinas,” the three-day event, was aimed at promoting the adoption of yield-boosting rice technologies by showcasing high-yielding and climate-resilient rice varieties, machinery, and best practices in a 131.83-hectare demonstration area. It has become a collaborative project by the national government, local government units (LGUs), local farmers, and other partners and stakeholders from the private sector, the NRTF responds with the President’s directives to boost the country’s local rice production and ensure food security through convergence and cooperation. Spearheaded by the Department of Agriculture (DA)-Davao Regional Field Office (RFO 11), DA-Agricultural Training Institute Regional Training Center (ATI-RTC 11), and the private sector-led Rice Board, the event kicked off with a field tour at the technology demonstration farms in Poblacion, Hagonoy. The techno demo farms showcased 24 hybrid rice varieties and smart technologies that have been tried and tested to be high-yielding, pest and disease-resistant, and climate-resilient contributing to higher income for farmers and high-quality and affordable rice for consumers. During the NRTF, 13 seed companies and six nutrient management firms presented their products, best practices, and technologies for proper land preparation, soil and water management, nutrient management, and pest and disease management, among others. In addition, the NRTF featured a Tekno-Tiangge, or a Technology Marketplace, and a “Tektok” or the Digital Agriculture and Farm Machinery and Equipment Demo. Officials and representatives from the Rice Board, DOST-PAGASA, and DA offices including the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program (MRIDP), Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM), National Irrigation Administration (NIA), and Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) also played key roles during the event. They discussed the plans and programs to ramp up local production, El Niño action plans, hybrid and inbred rice production, balanced fertilization strategies, pest and disease management, mechanization, and digital agriculture, among others. DA-MRIDP Productivity Enhancement Focal Person, Dr. Frisco Malabanan, discussed the program goals of attaining stable rice supply, affordable rice, prosperous rice-based farming communities, and nutritious rice-secured population under the overall goal of 97.5% rice self-sufficiency by 2028. He also discussed the immediate plans of the program such as the distribution of inputs such as hybrid seeds, biofertilizers, and inorganic fertilizers, the provision of drone services, and the intensified promotion of farm clustering and consolidation. “To transform Philippine agriculture, we need to focus on markets, innovations, scale, mainstreaming, and outcomes,” Dr. Malabanan said. He also stressed the need to mainstream the transformation efforts into the country’s policies, programs, and investment plans. The NRTF will culminate on 21 September 2023 in time with the start of the harvest operations at the techno demo site that is expected to produce a minimum of seven tons per hectare. The post 16th National Rice Technology Forum focuses on ramping up local rice production appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
Consumers’ group urges gov’t to buy from farmers
Consumer group Bantay Bigas called on the Marcos Administration to purchase farmers' crops this season to lower the prices of basic commodities. In a radio interview over Radyo 630, Cathy Estavillo, Bantay Bigas spokesperson, said if the government can buy at least “20 to 25 percent” of the fresh harvests of Filipino farmers, it may bring down prices of rice which is now reaching P60 per kilo. The Department of Agriculture earlier said that harvest season would start mid-September to November, and must be taken advantage of by the government. “Walang ibang dapat gawin ang gobyerno kundi mag-subsidize sa presyo ng bigas… ‘Yung mga fresh na inaani ng ating mga magsasaka, bilhin na niya ‘yan, (There's no other way but the goverment to subsidize the price of rice. The goverment should buy the fresh harvest of our farmers)," Estavillo suggested. “I-imbak niya at i-pagiling niya ‘yun at ibenta sa ating mga consumers through subsidized rice… para maging affordable ang presyo ng bigas sa palengke, (Store and milled this rice, then sell as subsidize rice, to become more affordable for ordinary Filipinos at the local market),” she added. Estavillo said subsidies to farmers should be the “immediate” solution of the government for now, aside from tasking farmers to continue planting rice to augment the production losses in previous typhoons. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr., Estavillo added, as an agriculture secretary should also give “at least P50,000” to farmers whose crops were 100 percent destroyed by previous storms. “Ibasura na niya ang mga polisiya na nagpapahintulot ng pagbaha ng imported na bigas. Talagang pagdating sa pagkain, lalong-lalo na sa bigas, dapat hindi ipaubaya ng gobyerno sa mga private sector ‘yung kalakalan ng bigas at palay (Put aside the policy that flooded the market with imported rice. When we speak of food, rice is number one, the goverment should not allow the private sector to handle the trade of this commodity” she said. Agriculture Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla, during a budget hearing at the House of Representatives, explained that the spike in local prices is influenced by global prices and high input costs plus the lowering buffer stock. She said the country is approaching lean months as it has just entered the harvesting period, which will enter its peak sometime in October and the middle of November. On the other hand, Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian said that the price of rice will not go down to as low as P20 even under the best-case scenario. “Not P20 (per kilo) but at least we can maintain a lower price that is affordable. I think our objective should be affordability for our population,” Sebastian said, stressing that lowering the price to P20 per kilo would be “difficult.” Sebastian however explained that the price of rice will only stabilize at P45 and P46 a kilo during the harvest period. The post Consumers’ group urges gov’t to buy from farmers appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
NFA rice negotiation ‘obviously ultra vires’ — PRISM
The Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement over the weekend said that it has reached to their attention that officials of the National Food Authority were in India to negotiate, on behalf of the government, rice importation. "If this is true, we would like to ask for a clarification regarding this matter, which we believe runs counter to the provisions of the Rice Tariffication law which authorizes only the President to negotiate upon the recommendation of National Economic Development Authority and the Department of Agriculture," the PRISM said in a statement sent to Daily Tribune. "Any discussion about importation initiated by the NFA is obviously ultra vires," they added. PRISM said a closer look at the international rice market situation would reveal "problems beyond the control of our local businesses and the government." Filipino private importers who have booked supplies from Vietnam, as early as the first quarter, are now faced with the dilemma of Vietnamese importers canceling their contracts in favor of other countries affected by India’s rice export ban. Its response to current rice issues is to "reiterate our commitment to the President to ensure the availability of affordable rice. Second is to address the issues and concerns about the rice supply." PRISM boasted that on 7 July 2023, and last Saturday, along Tomas Morato near Scout Borromeo Streets, "we have successfully launched the P38 per kilo Tulong sa Bayan Bigas para sa Mamayan." It added that they have done the same in various areas in NCR, Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao "through our Rice Retail networks, Barangay and LGU Caravans, and Kadiwa outlets. Since then until this time, we still continue selling the P38 per kilo rice in the respective channels chosen by our stakeholders." Despite different challenges and turn of events due to typhoons "Egay" and "Falcon" and the unexpected declaration of India’s export ban, PRISM reiterated their commitment to ensuring the availability of the P38 rice per kilo, "to continue our commitment to this advocacy." "Today, we are strengthening our advocacy, we encourage more rice traders to join in this effort to help more of our Kababayan," the movement said. According to PRISM, recent concerns have surfaced regarding the high price and availability of rice, leading to speculations that intend to disturb the confidence of the public and the normal course of the local market. "We acknowledge and stand by the President's assurance of sufficient rice supply and recognize the importance of addressing the affordability of rice amidst the current inflationary pressures," it said. "It is of utmost importance that PRISM stands together with our efforts aligned with the President's vision for prioritizing local rice production and stabilizing the local market supply without having to resort to revenue-draining government-led importation," it added. "We, therefore, urge the National Food Authority (NFA) to rally behind this directive and channel its energy into supporting methods that increase domestic production, as specified by the President," PRISM said. "We acknowledge the problem besetting the local rice industry, but certainly it is not the availability of rice, but its affordability primarily due to inflation." "As farm gate costs (currently at P21 to 25 per kilo of palay-fresh palay) are affected by price fluctuations in the market, we urge the NFA, whose current support price of P19 per kilo (clean and dry) is far below the current farm gate price, to seize the ongoing budget season and approach the Congress for higher budget allocation that will benefit local farmers and strengthen the local industry instead of pushing for importation that will drain government funds in favor of foreign suppliers," they explained. "The NFA should focus on its role as mandated by the Rice Tarrification Law / RA 11203 to build its buffer stock exclusively from local farmers and rice millers instead of imported sources. This move is also more consistent with the President’s objective to support local farmers and strengthen OUR rice industry," it further explained. "We are thus urging that relevant authorities engage in diplomatic discussions with Vietnamese counterparts to find a mutually beneficial resolution and honor the contracts of our importers," PRISM urged. "Complicating our rice situation, careless statement of a certain DA official has maliciously criticized our members’ effort to subsidize a limited supply of P38.00 per kilo rice during lean months that was intended for our indigent kababayan. In one interview this official insinuated that this effort, which was motivated by the President’s directive to provide affordable rice, was meant to be “playing” with the market prices even if it's only offered to the poorest of the poor with a maximum purchase of 5 kilos a day," the group said, preferring not to name the DA official. Prior to the roll-out of this initiative, they added, "our organization sought clearance from the President during several meetings in Malacanang and from the DA’s Undersecretary in charge of the National Rice Program," they said. There were also pronouncements that the DA inspectorate, together with the NBI, intends to inspect warehouses to prevent traders from hoarding. "While we understand and appreciate this initiative, we urge the government to exercise caution due to the ambiguous legal definition of hoarding. Even if the intention is sound, in this current situation, warehouses with limited stocks might come out as a reflection of our dwindling rice supply and be used by those pushing for government importation," PRISM explained further. However, for warehouses that hold stocks as commercial buffers for their regular customers, such may be misinterpreted by the media as hoarding, even without going through the legal process. This can negatively impact the reputation of legitimate traders. "Careless exercise of lawful inspections will only worsen the situation and create a chilling effect that can disturb the normal course of the market," the group said. The group is requesting that the President, who also holds the position of DA secretary, devise a better strategy for communicating the government's "rice policy framework and situational response." This should be done in a way that ensures accountability and prevents any confusion or negative public and industry feedback "We strongly encourage the President to assign just one Usec for all agencies involved in the rice program (NIA, NRP, and NFA)," PRISM said. "Furthermore, we strongly encourage the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) to release pertinent data and statistics on rice production and stocking in an up-to-date manner instead of a 3-month delay, to properly guide private and government stakeholders in timely decision making," the group suggested. The post NFA rice negotiation ‘obviously ultra vires’ — PRISM appeared first on Daily Tribune......»»
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