Press Release
October 16, 2009

LOREN URGES DA TO MAXIMIZE USE OF RESOURCES
TO SPEED UP REHABILITATION OF RICE FARMS

Amid the government's plan to import around two million metric tons of rice to beef up local stocks next year and avert rice crisis, Senator Loren Legarda urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to maximize and rightfully use its resources to speed up the rehabilitation of the rice farming sector severely affected by typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng.

"The DA must not depend so much on rice importation to avert rice shortage, but instead prioritize the provision of production support to rice farmers whose crops were severely damaged by the two typhoons to speed up the rehabilitation of rice farms and enable farmers to still achieve a good harvest before the end of the year and minimize rice importation," Loren, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, and concurrently Congressional Oversight Committee on Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization, said.

"Rice farmers should be provided with subsidized seeds, preferable certified early-maturing seeds, to replant when their farms are ready for planting again. Production inputs such as fertilizers and pesticides must also be made available whether subsidized or though loan programs. Damage irrigation facilities, post harvest equipment and infrastructures, as well as farm-to-market roads must be immediately repaired to support farmers' production activities," the lady senator said.

While suggesting immediate measures to undertake to speed up the recovery of the rice sector, Loren recommended a long term solution to address rice shortage problem.

"Productivity in the Philippines is 1 ton per hectare lower than Vietnam and Indonesia. If we increase the yield by at least 1 ton per hectare in irrigated areas alone which are 1.5 million hectares, we will have additional 1.5 million tons in rice production which is equivalent to the average volume of our importation," Loren said.

"Technologies including flood resistant variety are available. The challenge is to transform practices of rice farmers especially in those low-yielding areas. This should be the advocacy of the DA. Sa tamang programa kaya natin ito, rather than conditioning people's mind on rice importation," she added.

Loren also urged the National Food Authority (NFA) to mobilize its personnel to monitor the rice supply situation in various areas affected by the typhoons to ensure that there is enough supply of rice for the community and to avoid overpricing. The agency, according to her, should ensure timely and proper distribution of rice.

She, likewise, urged the Department of Public Works and Highways to speed up repair of bridges and roads to facilitate the transport of agricultural products, particularly rice, livestock and vegetable to Metro Manila.

Loren, noted report that the two typhoons destroyed some 121,949 hectares of croplands resulting to the loss of 925,523 metric tons (MT) of rice, corn, and high-value crops (HVCC) as well as fishery products, livestock and poultry, and P2.7 billion worth of farm infrastructure.

Damaged farmlands lost some 839,241 MT of palay or paddy rice; 45,768 MT of corn and 40,514 MT of HVCC, according to the report.

For fear of a possible rice shortage next year since the rice sector was the one which suffered heavily from the ravage of the two typhoons, the DA announced that it may consider importing some 2 million MT of rice next year.

The National Food Authority, however, reported recently that it has a total stockpile of 25.2 million bags of rice, enough to cover 36 days of the country's total demand based on 708,000 bags daily requirement.

The report also said that the commercial and household stocks stand at 7.4 and 14.5 million bags of rice, respectively, to further supply the country's rice demand for the next 67 days.

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