The country’s rice supply is ‘quite secure’ until the end of the year, according to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., citing rice importation and start of harvest season.
He made the guarantee at the House committee on appropriations’ briefing on the proposed budget of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Rep. Sarah Elago asked Tiu Laurel about the dangers of the country’s dependence on rice importation to our food security.
Tiu Laurel said that as the country aims to lessen its dependence on rice importation, there is a need to irrigate more lands for rice production.
‘As far as our food security for rice, for the year 2026, I’m happy to announce that we are quite secure in our rice requirements until the end of 2026,’ Tiu Laurel said.
He then told lawmakers that the country imported around 3.8 million tons of rice last week. He also attributed the rice security to the start of harvest in the country.
Meanwhile, the DA previously said that the agricultural damage from the effects of southwest monsoon and tropical cyclones Luis, Maymay, and Neneng rose to around P2.3 billion.
The agency last Thursday noted that 69,615 farmers and fishers were affected by the habagat.
The calamity victims are in Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal, and Quezon), Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Bicol and Western Visayas.
Despite over 60,000 hectares of farmland affected, Tiu Laurel said that the harvest can still suffice until the end of the year.
‘Our harvest seems to be going well this harvest season. That should carry us over until the end of the year,’ he added. The secretary also said that the country may import up to five million tons of rice this year due to the effects of El Niño.