United Nations Sees Improving Philippine Rice Production

UN report mirrors PHL ambitions toward self-sufficiency in rice.

A United Nations (UN) agency sees the Philippines improving its rice production in the next two years, reflecting projections of the Aquino administration though to a lesser extent.

In its Food Outlook for June 2011, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) estimated a 28-percent increase in Philippine rice production this year to 11 million metric tons (MT) from 10.7 million MT in 2010.

Rice production will go up at the same rate next year to 11.3 million MT, the FAO said.

The Philippines — like Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Vietnam — “reaped substantially larger crops in 2010, in spite of unfavorable weather." The UN agency also said it expects the Philippines to expand production along with Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, Nepal, and Vietnam.

The Aquino administration is eyeing rice self-sufficiency by 2013 — a goal that an official of the International Rice Research Institute has described as “ambitious."

Last month, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said rice production grew by 15.63 percent in the first quarter, bouncing back from the effects of the drought-inducing El Niño phenomenon in 2010.

The DA’s estimated rice production for 2011, however, is almost three-fifths higher than the FAO estimate. Quelling public fears about a supposedly looming rice crisis, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the government projects rice production for 2011 at 17.46 million MT.

Meanwhile, the DA expects production to reach 19 million MT and 20.1 million MT for 2012 and 2013, respectively.

GMA News Online tried but was unable to reach Alcala for comment as of this posting.

Lower imports

The UN agency also projected a decline in Philippine rice imports as one of the world’s largest importers of the commodity. The agency said the Philippines will likely import 1.3 million MT this year, down from the 2.2 million MT in 2010.

Government statistics show that it bought 2.25 million MT in 2010, prompting authorities to eye a two-thirds reduction of imports in 2011.

From this year’s reduced rice importation limit of 860,000 MT, the government plans to further reduce it to 500,000 MT in 2012.

The FAO said the reduction of Philippine imports will affect import demands in Asia in general, bringing regional purchases down by 41 percent.

“The country’s retrenchment is consistent with current prospects of good crops in 2010-2011, but also reflects attempts by the new government to streamline imports by the National Food Authority while increasing private sector participation in trade," the FAO said.

Filipinos consume around 13 million MT of the highly-imported commodity every year, according to a report on GMA News TV’s “State of the Nation."

Rice an exception

Compared to other commodities, however, the FAO said rice is “an exception, thanks to… record world output and large opening stocks."

The bi-annual FAO report said “high and volatile agriculture commodity prices are likely to prevail for the rest of this year and into 2012."

“It all comes down to supply and demand, and the supply situation, as good as it may seem, is barely meeting the demand. And therefore, prices remain at these very stubbornly high levels," said FAO senior grains economist Abdolreza Abbassian in a video interview on the agency’s website.

“Poorer countries import a lot of these crops and food commodities from the international market, and when their prices rise in the world market, they will be obviously directly affected by this," the FAO analyst added.

By GMA News


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Philippine Rice Self-Sufficiency Questioned Now

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Philippine rice sufficiency at risk as government withdrew subsidy for hybrid rice seed.

The country’s rice sufficiency is reportedly in danger with the Philippine government’s decision to withdraw subsidy for hybrid rice.

The agriculture department’s exclusion of hybrid rice technology from its priorities spells doom to the country’s bid to become self-sufficient in rice, said Dr. Noel Manicpic, vice president for seed quality control of SL Agritech. The firm is a leading private hybrid rice seed producer in the country, supplying hybrid seeds to several South East Asian countries.

Manicpic criticized Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala for excluding the promotion of hybrid rice technology. He declared that the agriculture chief’s lack of interest in hybrid rice is unfortunate because with the “hybrid rice’s higher yield, the gap between the production of inbred rice varities and the former is very wide.”

Hybrid rice varieties yield as much as 17 tons per hectare compared to seven to eight tons from inbred rice.

“Previous DA secretaries have always made hybridization a core program but Alcala is not inclined towards hybridization,” said Manicpic.

He explained that the withdrawal of the government’s seed subsidy which had been enjoyed by farmers in the past is premature because acceptance of the technology by farmers is not yet at the point when no more government intervention is needed to keep farmers planting hybrid varieties.

Manicpic said that at its peak, only 300,000 hectares of the country’s 1 million hectares of irrigated land were planted with hybrid rice.

“Many farmers know of the advantages of planting hybrid rice but the inaccessibility of its seeds due to its high price gets in the way. Also, being a new technology, hybridization should be aggressively promoted. Hand in hand with seed subsidy, the govenrment should also provide credit and research and development,” said Manicpic.

Hybrid seeds go for P4,000.00 to P5,000.00 per hectare, an amount which is prohibitive for many farmers, said Manicpic. He said subsidizing at least half the amount would be a great help to local farmers.

“My point is that the hybridization program has not yet reached the point when it is wise to discontinue seed subsidy,” Manicpic repeated.

The hybrid rice promoter was in Tabuk City, the Cordillera’s rice bowl, as guest in the harvest festival to show to other farmers in the city the 100 hectares compact farm for commercialization of hybrid rice.

Cabaruan, Tabuk’s Barangay Chairman Rogelio Polon said that the average yield per hectare of the 17 hybrid rice farmers who already harvested their crops are 183 cavans, way above the 100 per hectare normal yield of inbred rice in Tabuk.

To further prove his point, rice farmer Edward Boclongan of San Julian village also in Tabuk, said he harvested 237 cavans per hectare this cropping season using the hybrid rice technology. He netted P180,000.00 from hybrid rice production.

Tabuk City agriculturist Gilbert Cawis said more farmers prefer subsidy than other interventions from the government. “If they cannot continue the subsidy program, they should instead subsidize the price of palay especially when prices of the grains fluctuate.

By Bulatlat


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Agriculture Sector Inputs P2B Subsidy

PNoy: Farm Sector May Get Input – Not Fuel – Subsidy

Rather than subsidize fuel, the government will likely opt to provide P2 billion in farm input subsidies for farmers and fisher folk affected by rising prices of the commodity, the President said Tuesday.

In an interview after a lake-seeding activity in Jala-Jala, Rizal, President Benigno Aquino III said the government will assist the agriculture and fisheries sectors by providing funds for buying seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides.

Aquino explained that the move will ensure that assistance is “directed" to the people in need of it. “Ayaw nating magkaroon ng maraming leakages — iyon bang hindi kasali ay bigla na lang nakipila at sila ang nakinabang," he said.

The government on Monday said it will exclude farmers and fisherfolk from its fuel subsidy program, citing the difficulty of directing the subsidy to deserving beneficiaries.

Speaking with reporters after the Gawad Saka awarding ceremonies in Malacañang, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala noted that most farmers who use fuel-run tractors are well-off, and that the government cannot identify the poor ones who use small motor pumps.

Another alternative to subsidizing fuel is implementing a “food for work" program for farmers and fisherfolk, according to a report on GMA News TV’s “Dobol B sa News TV" on Tuesday.

Seeding Laguna Lake

Meanwhile, at the event where he spoke, the President led the seeding of the Laguna de Bay to boost the population of tilapia and bighead carp in the lake and to improve the livelihood of fishermen in the area.

Aquino and his party, composed of Environment Secretary Ramon Paje and other government officials, released 200,000 tilapia and bighead carp fingerlings during the activity.

“Ang humigit-kumulang 200,000 fingerlings ng tilapia at bighead carp na pinapakawalan natin ngayon ay maghahatid ng mas masaganang palaisdaan at dagdag na kabuhayan para sa ating mga kakabayan," Aquino said.

“Malinaw ang daing sa atin ng Laguna Lake. Ang tagal natin siyang pinakinabangan at obligasyon nating suklian ang kanyang pag-aaruga. Pagmalasakitan natin siya upang patuloy pa rin tayong buhusan ng samu’t-saring yaman at pagkakakitaan," the President added.

By GMA News


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