Due to cyclones, RP may import rice earlier - NFA

The government may import rice earlier than the usual December auction this year to ensure enough rice supply in the early part of 2010, the National Food Authority (NFA) said Wednesday. NFA spokesman Rex Estoperez said in a radio interview that they are just waiting for an inter-agency commission to determine how much rice to import. Some rice-producing provinces in Luzon were among those badly hit by recent cyclones in the the country. “Kung mag-import man tayo, mas early doon sa ine-expect natin na December auction (If we need to import rice, it will be earlier than the December auction)," Estoperez said in an interview on dzBB radio. He noted that President Arroyo had ordered the rice importation after inspecting areas in Northern Luzon devastated by recent tropical cyclones. Last Sunday, Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said government may import rice to ensure food security in the first half of 2010, even as he said the rice supply is assured for the rest of 2009. But Estoperez maintained prices of NFA rice will remain stable, including the subsidized P18.25/kilo for qualified poor families, and the P25/kilo rice. He said what may go up next year is the government’s subsidy for these rice products. “Nagko-cooperate naman ang ating player sa industriya na huwag pagsamantalahin ang ating kababayan (Our accredited sellers are cooperating in not overpricing the rice)," he said. Estoperez also appealed anew to consumers not to engage in panic-buying. “Kung ano ang mabibili nila at kailangan ang bibilhin nila, mag-cooperate tayo (Please cooperate by buying only what you need, and not more)," he said. Estoperez said that until an inter-agency commission finishes its assessment of how much rice the country will need to import, there is no detail on when the importation will take place. He said the agency’s initial report of a loss of some 285,000 metric tons is only a partial figure, which he said may still go up. “Di pa natin alam ang volume, by this week matatapos ang interagency committee sa final figure ano ang pangangailangan natin (We do not know how much to import. We expect that by this week the interagency committee will have the final figure on how much we need)," he said. On the other hand, Estoperez said the government is not likely to conduct an open bidding. He also said the country is looking at up to six other sources of imported rice other than Vietnam, which is also suffering damage brought by tropical storm “Ondoy" (Ketsana). In a separate interview on dwIZ radio, he said other countries from which the Philippines may import rice may include Thailand and India. “Ang importante sa atin may bigas sa ating bansa (What is important is that we have sufficient rice supply)," he said. - GMANews.TV