The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday, Jan. 6, said the country’s rice production was increasing, but noted that the expected output of 20M metric tons (MT) last year was not enough to reach 100 percent rice sufficiency.
“Kung titingnan natin ang trend ay tumataas ang produksyon ng palay. Actually last year ini-expect natin wala pa lang datos ang [Phiippine] Statistics Authority na inaasahan natin last year na highest gross natin in terms of volume produce o more than 20 million metric tons,” DA spokesperson Asec. Arnel de Mesa told DZRH in an interview.
He added that the highest rice output reached 19.96 MT but dipped to 19.7 MT in 2022 following the rise of fertilizer prices and the war in Ukraine.
“Ang pinakamataas dati ay 19.96 million metric tons, 2022 bumaba ito ng 19.7 million metric tons dahil sa epekto ng pagtaas ng presyo ng mga fertilizer sa buong mundo dahil sa naging sigalot sa Ukraine,” he said.
De Mesa shared that the rice output was recovering but claimed that with over 1 million Filipinos to feed, the 20M MT would not be enough to cover the demand for rice and petroleum products.
“Ngayon ay bumabawi na pero itong 20 million metric tons ay hindi ganun kasapat para marating natin yong 100 percent sufficiency sa bigas o petrolyo about 85 percent para ma-fill up yong demand natin, sa ngayon we have more than 1 million Filipino na pinapakain natin,” the DA Usec. said.
De Mesa also shared that Congress granted their biggest budget allocation of 31 billion to improve rice production.
“Matindi ang pinagdadaanan ng bigas bago maging bigas muna at ang palay o rice industry ang isa sa pinakamalaking budget allocation natin yearly infact ngayong taon nagbigay ang kongreso ng 31-Billion under General Appropriations,” he said.
He added that they would bolster their strategy in rice production during the dry season.
“Isa sa strategy natin ay mapalakas ang produksyon ng dry season sa pamamagitan ng pagkakaroon ng allocation of at least 1 million hectares para sa hybrid kasi maganda ang produksyon ng hybrid pagdating ng dry season. [Kapag] dry season wala ring masyadong bagyo,” he added.
