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| DA Sec. assures the public that rice supply is sufficient for the next 90 days / photo file from GMA News |
Manila, Philippines - Department
of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Manny Piñol on Monday reiterated that there is no
shortage of rice in the country, blaming the cartels for allegedly controlling the market price, contrary to the reports.
The DA chief said that
there is no shortfall in the rice supply, and there is enough for consumption
for the next 96 days.
Piñol, however, admitted that there is a hike in rice prices
due to “speculation” in light of the delayed arrival of imported rice, as well
as the temporary absence of the National Food Authority (NFA) rice in the
market.
“We have no rice shortage but there is admittedly a spike in
the price of rice in the market because of speculation dahil nga nawala
ang NFA rice sa merkado ng mahaba (due to the long
absence of NFA rice in the market). Na-delay din yung arrival ng imported
rice (The arrival of imported rice is also delayed),” the Agriclture chief told
the reporters in an ambush interview after attending a congressional
hearing at the House of Representatives.
He also assured the public that the situation will stabilize
as the harvest soon starts by November.
Piñol explained that about 5.8 million tons of rice is
available in the market for the next 96 days. At least 2.7 million metric
tons of it comes from the rice surplus in the year 2017 and the rest from the
farmers’ harvest until March of this year.
He said that the public consumption of rice is estimated at
31, 450 metric tons per day or a total of 2.8 million metric tons for the next
three months.*
“If you would deduct these 2.8 million metric tons of rice
consumption of the Filipinos for the next 96 days, we still have 3 million
metric tons available stocks of rice in the market. With these data, ano
bang rice shortage ang kanilang pinagsasabi?” he asked.
Piñol said that the country is rather suffering from an “anomalous
food chain” where traders, instead of farmers, dictate the prices of rice sold to
them.
“the government has no control over it, and for that matter,
the DA has no mandate to do so.” He said
Meanwhile, amid the calls for Piñol’s resignation, President
Rodrigo Roa Duterte said that there was no need for him to fire the DA chief.
“You know, all officials including me are bound by laws on
the matter. Rice, whatever it is, there are laws to be followed. Maybe the laws
are weak or unenforceable. All we have to do is to improve on those laws, not
necessarily fire people,” the chief executive said
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| DA Secretary Manny Pinol (photo from his Facebook account) with President Rodrigo Duterte |
