Rice prices, though, “hard to predict,” Agri chief says
(Eagle News)–The Department of Agriculture has given the assurance there’s ample rice supply in the country based on inventories made in December and January, and the additional rice coming from overseas.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel said, however, that it’s hard to predict rice prices at this time.
“Ang problema iyong world price is tumataas eh ‘no dahil sa El Niño,” he said, noting that even rice-producing countries like Thailand and Vietnam are experiencing these high rice prices.
“So, we have to really manage the situation and we are looking at it on a day-to-day basis,” he said.
The Agriculture chief noted that the government has to invest more in farm-to-market-roads and irrigation facilities to ensure agricultural product availability at affordable prices.
He said the government also has to invest P1.2 trillion to fully irrigate the country’s 1.2 million hectares of unirrigated land.
This, he said, would in turn further boost the government’s rice self-sufficiency goals.
