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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Enverga: DA's rice import plan only for 'worst case scenario'

Enverga: DA's rice import plan only for 'worst case scenario'

Published Aug 17, 2023 03:37 am

At A Glance

  • The Department of Agriculture's (DA) plan to import 500,000 metric tons of rice is just part of the agency's worst case scenario for the local rice supply, Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga said. 

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Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga (Contributed photo)

 

 

 

 

 

The Department of Agriculture's (DA) plan to import 500,000 metric tons (MT) of rice is just part of the agency’s worst case scenario for the local rice supply, Quezon 1st district Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga said. 

In a chance interview Wednesday afternoon, Aug. 17, Enverga, the House Committee on Agriculture and Food chairman, said that the DA was actually doing the "right thing". 

“Tama naman ang ginagawa ng DA (The DA is doing the right thing), assuming that their data is right. Tama ginagawa nila na (It's right) that they are ensuring that we have alternatives which is particular nga yung Vietnam option (which is the Vietnam option in particular)," Enverga said. 

Earlier Wednesday, the agriculture and food panel hosted a briefing on the rice supply situation in the country amid through reported increase in the retail price of rice. The DA assured Enverga during the briefing that the country has enough supply of its staple grain. 

At the same time, the agency bared that it has recommended the importation of 500,000 MT of rice between Nov. 15, 2023 and Jan. 21, 2024. Enverga said he didn't see any inconsistencies with this. 

"Wala naman [inconsistencies] (There are no inconsistencies). Nilinaw naman nila kanina (They clarified earlier) that they are establishing channels in the worst case scenario. Given the supply data that they presented, even Sinag agreed na mayroong enough supply (that there is enough supply)," Enverga said. 

"In fact si Sinag is also appealing, wag na mag-import (don't import anymore). Kasi nga naman (Itxsc((, we have enough supply and next month, we start the harvest [period]. Para naman masiguro naman natin na yung farmers din natin hindi na tatamaan (This is to ensure that our farmer won't be placed at a disadvantage)," he noted. 

Based on conventional knowledge, too much importation ends up hurting local farmers as these imports compete with their products. 

"Of course, the supply is there. Our worry, sinabi ko na rin sa kanila (which I also told them), is the price should be managed. So yung presyo ang kailangan bantayan rito kasi very ripe din yung situation na pwede pagsamanatalahan na naman tayo (So we have to watch out for it since the situation is very ripe for abuse)," Enverga explained. 

"So I am thankful that [President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.] has put to task DA together with DTI (Department of Trade and Industry] to make sure that the supply is not being hoarded,” he added.

Related Tags

Department of Agriculture (DA) rice supply
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