The National Food Authority (NFA) received an instruction from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to focus on the local production of rice over importation to augment the country’s supply.

During the meeting with NFA, Marcos instructed the agency to continue exploring other ways to prioritize rice production aside from importation, such as contract farming to guarantee an increase in the NFA’s volume production.

The President had a meeting with officials from NFA, Department of Trade and Industry, Philippine International Trading Corporation, as well as the Department of Agriculture, at the State Dining Room of Malacañang Palace on Tuesday.

During the meeting, NFA Administrator Roderico Bioco reports on the measures being undertaken ensures the efficient supply of the rice industry.

DA Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban reported that the recipe output from January to June this year was nine million metric tons, while the output during the same period in 2022 and 2021 was 8.7 million metric tons in which Marcs called the growth “excellent news," the Palace said

Previously, the NFA reported that the rice stockpile had decreased short of the inventory requirements to assist the Philippines through emergencies or calamities.