Palace: Philippines not facing rice supply crisis

MANILA, Philippines –Malacañang has denied that the country is facing a rice supply crisis despite an alleged intelligence report pointing to a reduction in the production of rice-producing nations, some countries shifting to rice from other staples and weather disturbances causing less rice to go about in the region.

In Tuesday’s news conference in Malacañang, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said neither the Office of the President nor his department received a report from the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency warning the administration of a looming rice crisis.

“There will be no shortage of rice in our country,” Alcala said.

Alcala said rice harvest has been good across the country and has been expected to exceed the projected 7.6 million metric tons of production for the dry cropping season.

The agriculture secretary also saw no need to import an additional 300,000 metric tons. He said the 860,000 metric tons to be imported already had provisions for contingencies.