Growth in rice production seen

THE AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT expects the country’s unmilled rice production in the first half to grow by 4.0 percent from the same period last year.

“In [the first half of] 2007 we had 6.7 million metric tons (mmt),” Secretary Arthur Yap said. “In 2008, it was 7.1 mmt. This year, we’re looking at 7.3 or 7.4 mmt.”

The Agriculture chief’s target is slightly higher than that of the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS), which estimated production to reach 7.2 or 7.3 mmt.

“We are slightly more optimistic than BAS, based on planting intentions and actual area planted, which [was] 104 percent above our earlier expectation,” he said. “Harvest has started, and initial reports say production seems ‘good.’”

He said a good support price for rice and stable prices of inputs helped encourage planting.

Efforts to reduce postharvest wastage are also seen to help boost production.

Agriculture officials last Friday signed an agreement with the Korea International Cooperation Agency (Koica) for a $13-million grant that would be used to build four rice productivity complexes in four provinces.

The complexes will be put up in Bohol, Davao del Sur, Iloilo and Pangasinan.

Also, the agriculture department is lining up investment talks with various foreign groups to present opportunities in other products apart from rice.

Among the areas being offered by the Philippines are located in the uplands. Yap said that Middle East investors have inquired about opportunities. Talks are also lined up with the United States, Korea and Japan, among others.

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