THE government is proposing a total of P69.9 billion for three major rice programs for next year in its bid to boost local production of the country’s staple food and make rice prices affordable.
Under the proposed P7.2-trillion National Expenditure Program, the government has earmarked P29.9 billion for the National Rice Program, one of the Department of Agriculture’s banner programs.
The proposed budget will bankroll the provision of quality seeds, farm inputs, extension services and modern production technologies to improve rice farmers’ productivity and incomes.
Another P30 billion is allocated for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). Of the amount, P9 billion will be used for rice farm machinery and equipment through the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization.
Meanwhile, P6 billion will fund rice seed development, propagation and promotion through the Philippine Rice Research Institute.
The remaining P15 billion will finance other priority programs, including rice training and extension services, financial assistance and credit programs for farmers, composting facilities, irrigation and soil health improvement, pest and disease management and farming support programs under the contract farming program.
The annual Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program (Rcef) allocation was increased threefold from P10 billion to P30 billion under Republic Act 12078, which extended the fund until 2031. The fund is sourced from tariffs collected from rice imports.
Moreover, the government is seeking P10 billion for the Rice for All Program, which aims to make affordable rice available to consumers through Kadiwa Centers and other accredited facilities nationwide.
Budget Secretary Kim Robert C. de Leon said the proposed budget forms part of the administration’s food security agenda, which puts greater productivity and better livelihoods for farmers and fishermen at the center of the country’s efforts to secure its food supply.
‘For agriculture and food security, P261.7 billion is proposed across the agriculture sector, supporting programs that increase productivity, strengthen food security, and improve the incomes of our farmers and fisherfolk,’ De Leon said.
As the government seeks to achieve zero hunger by 2030, the proposed budget is intended to strengthen both production and consumer access to rice.