Philippines won't import more rice this year

The National Food Authority (NFA) does not plan to import any more rice for this year, according to NFA administrator Jessup Navarro.

NFA rice imports for the whole year, Navarro said, amounted to 1.575 million metric tons (MT).

Rice importations by the public sector, meanwhile, amounted to 200,000 MT.

Thus, total rice importations for this year amounted to 1.775 million MT.

Speaking to reporters during the NFA's 37th anniversary celebration, Navarro said the government no longer plans to import more rice this year as it is set to buy more palay during the main palay harvest season from October to December this year.

However, Navarro refused to reveal yet the NFA's plans for rice purchases next year.

An Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) tasked to determine the NFA's rice import target for next year is still studying a number of variables before deciding on how much rice may have to be imported for next year.

The IAC, Navarro said, conducts a quarterly or three month survey to determine rice production and consumption.

Rice consumption increases around two percent annually.

Meanwhile, Navarro reiterated the need to export some of the excess corn purchases that the NFA will make this year.

Originally, Navarro said the NFA had only targeted to buy 50,000 MT of corn this year.

However, following observation of a higher corn production this year, Navarro said the Department of Agriculture decided to increase the target by an additional 100,000 MT, bringing this year's target corn purchases to 150,000 MT.

The 150,000 MT corn purchase target, Navarro said, is the "right balance,"

Unfortunately, he said the decision to buy up to 600,000 MT of corn this year upon the clamor of corn farmers now presents some problems to the NFA.

For one, Navarro explained, the NFA normally purchases only 12.6 percent of total annual corn production.

But with the 600,000 MT purchase ordered by Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, Navarro said, the NFA's corn purchase would now be up to 25 percent.

Navarro candidly admitted that the NFA does not normally attain its target purchases.

The NFA, Navarro said, is resorting to "rationing" in its corn purchases to be able to accommodate all corn farmers and allow those harvesting in November and December to be able to avail of the higher buying price of the grains agency.

The NFA's buying practice has already irritated some corn farmers who are now accusing the grains agency and the DA of not living up to their promises.