2011 typhoons destroy 1.4M MT rice – Agri Dept.

As much as 1.4 million metric tons (MT) of paddy rice (palay) were lost during the last six typhoons that hit the Philippines this year. According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), the damage from Typhoons Egay and Falcon, both of which occurred last June, amounted to a loss of 51,645 MT, while Typhoon Juaning, which came in July, resulted in a loss of 26,324 MT. Typhoon Mina, which occurred in August, claimed 64,199 MT. The most recent typhoons, Pedring and Quiel, both of which barreled through Luzon last September, damaged 760,207 MT, the DA added. “The Department of Agriculture should rethink its rice importation program for 2012. Given the magnitude of lost palay, 500,000 MT (rice importation) is not enough to plug the shortfall," a rice trader who refused to be named said in an interview Wednesday with reporters. After discounting the consolidated grain loss, the DA said expected palay output for the second half is now at 8.483 million MT. Given the total rice requirement of 6.256 million MT from July to December 2011, the country will have a rice inventory of 2.606 million MT starting January 2012, or 23 percent lower than 2011’s beginning inventory of 3.425 million MT. The beginning inventory is good for 76.7 days, according to the DA. The NFA is required to maintain a 30-day minimum inventory of 930,000 MT, according to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics. Average daily rice consumption was pegged at 31,000 MT. To ration rice seeds In a report to the Senate on Oct. 10, the DA said it already launched a massive campaign to ration rice seeds covering a 100,000 rain-fed hectares that can contribute as much as 125,000 MT of palay. The program is estimated to cost P130 million. The DA is also giving subsidized seeds based on validated damage reports, as well as access to fertilizer under the Plant Now, Pay Later program of the Bureau of Soils and Water Management. In addition, the Agricultural Credit Policy Council has created a provision for up to P400 million in credit through the Agribusiness Enterprise and other service providers. The DA expects palay production to reach 19.8 million MT by 2012, 21.934 million MT by 2013, 23.596 million MT by 2014, 23.891 million MT by 2015, and 24.96 million MT by 2016. The demand for rice is equally projected to reach 20.9 million MT in 2012, 21.12 million MT in 2013, 21.56 million MT by 2014, 22.02 million MT by 2015, and 22.49 million MT by 2016. The DA is keeping its assessment of the planned rice importation for 2012, until the expected losses from the October typhoons have been factored in by its field offices. The department will announce next November a revised importation volume based on the evaluation of standing as well as destroyed rice crops. Government said that bidding for the proposed importation should be conducted next year, and the shipments’ arrivals should "be timed during the lean months starting July." AL/VS/ELR, GMA News