Agriculture Sec. William Dar. Image from Department of Agriculture
MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture (DA) assured Filipinos that the food supply for 2021 remains sufficient.
“We assure our countrymen that we will have enough food on our table, during the rest of the year,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a virtual meeting of IATF Task Group on Food Security (TGFS) on April 8.
In the same meeting, Secretary Dar also thanked farmers, fishers and other players in the food chain for their continuing labor and resilience amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We thank our farmers, fishers, and other players in the food value chain for their continuing labor and resilience. Based on our inventory and projections, our food supply situation remains on the optimistic side,” he said.
In a statement on Friday, the DA said it forecasts a 2021 year-end stock of rice, good for 75 days.
“This year, the DA aims to produce another record harvest of 20.4 million metric tons (MMT) of palay, 1 MMT more than last year’s bumper yield.” the DA added.
Secretary Dar noted that the supply for other major food commodities including vegetables, chicken, and fish is likewise favorable.
“With this favorable outlook, the DA — in continued, strong partnerships with farmers’ and fishers’ groups, local government units (LGUs), and the private sector — will continue to implement programs and initiatives to further boost food production,” he said.