Low-priced rice
ALTHOUGH an agricultural country, the Philippines, where the International Rice Research Institute is located, continues to import rice to meet the food needs of the people.
Rice is the staple food for about 80 percent of the more than 110 million Filipinos, making it a major item in the consumption basket of consumers in this impoverished Asian nation.
It is certainly reassuring to know that increasing rice production is one of the top priorities of the six-year administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos Jr.
The Marcos Jr. presidency started at 12 noon last June 30 and ends on June 30, 2028.
While the government is trying to modernize Philippine agriculture, which is key to achieving food self-sufficiency, there’s that need to continue importing rice.
Thus,the public welcomed reports that the country may import more rice over the next two years, with the expected total import volume to breach the 3 million metric ton-mark.
Reports said the country’s rice importation volume for this year and 2023 will reach 3.1 million metric tons from its previous projection of just 3 million metric tons.
In the view of various quarters, including poorest of the poor, the country ought to have enough rice stocks to keep prices stable during the so-called “lean months.”
In the Philippines, where palay is the most important agricultural crop, the “lean season” starts in July and lasts up to September, while the harvest season begins in October.
Let’s make sure that the Filipino people, particularly the poorest of the poor across the country, have access to low-priced but quality rice throughout the year.
