Alcala sees rice sufficiency by 2015

MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Agriculture (DA) believes the country could attain self-sufficiency in rice by 2015 because of steady growth in yield per hectare and increased production support for farmers.

The country’s goal of attaining self-sufficiency in the country’s main staple in 2013 was blown away by a string of strong typhoons — Santi, Pablo and Yolanda — that visited major rice producing regions in the second quarter of the year.

Interviewed on the sidelines of the Philippine Economic Briefing in Pasay City yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said adequate funding for the department’s programs for this year is sufficient to increase domestic production this year from last year.

“We are double-checking this against the Food Staple Sufficiency Program (FSSP) that we have laid down.  And based on the funding we have for this year, it would be enough to surpass the 96-percent self-sufficiency we have right now,” he said.

“So by 2015, we would be able to provide more inputs in areas where support is lacking,” he added.

This year, the country aims to produce 19.07 million metric tons of palay from 4.83 million hectares of land with an average yield per hectare (ha) of 3.95 million metric tons (MT).

In 2015, the DA projects a harvest target of 20.09 million MT from 4.92 million ha with an average yield of 4.08 MT per ha.

In 2016, the DA would rally Filipino farmers to produce 20.52 million MT from 4.95 million ha at an average yield of 4.2 MT per ha.

Last year, farmers produced a total of 18.44 million MT, making the country self-sufficient in its consumption needs, but still relying on importation for buffer stocking needs.

“There have been an increase upland areas. In 2010, when we started, there were only a handful of farmers cultivating traditional upland varieties. But we have been instructed by the President to introduce better varieties that can thrive in less irrigated areas,” said Alcala.

He said the DA is now distributing certified seeds of upland varieties.

The Agriculture department, he said, has also begun providing seed support for farmers cooperatives that cultivate hybrid rice that yield as much as seven to eight MT per ha.

Despite its high yield, most farmers are reluctant to cultivate hybrid rice as production costs could reach as much as P50,000 per hectare.

Alcala said the government is now consulting farmers cooperatives planting hybrid rice on the varieties suited for their terrain. After verification, the DA would procure the seeds for their use. The farmers then return the seeds in kind either for replanting or for distribution to other farmers.

The Agriculture chief said that even if the country attains self sufficiency, the government would likely continue to import rice even if only to have a large buffer stock for use in times of calamities and to drive down prices of commercial rice that is prone to fluctuation.

“Right now, we have 96-percent sufficiency level, but the NFA (National Food Authority) still imports a large volume to keep prices down,” he said.

As such, Alcala urges the NFA to bring in imports through the increased 805,000 MT minimum access volume (MAV) as much as possible.

As economic integration within Southeast Asia approaches in 2015, Filipino rice farmers would be pitted against agricultural powerhouses such as Thailand and Vietnam which could easily export rice to the Philippines at low tariff.

The DA is thus grooming growers of premium rice to increase production and improve the quality of their produce to maximize the benefits of free trade within Southeast Asia.

“We have various rice varieties in demand overseas. So we have to help our producers export,” said Alcala.