The supply of rice and meat products in the country are bioth sufficient of the daily needs of the consumers, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
“Based on data from the National Rice Program, our production, in addition to imports and starting stock, indicates that we have adequate. Yet, production remains sufficient for our National Rice Program. That's great news; we can produce more locally and supplement with imports, but ultimately, it's sufficient,” Undersecretary Roger Navarro said in a Palace briefing on Tuesday, Feb. 13.
On the part of the meat products, Navarro said the supply is actually high.
“Our pork meat is considered high, and we are still in communication with our stakeholders. We have a pricing and volume watch that we use once a month to monitor our supply condition,” Navarro said.
“We review each of that data with stakeholders to see our sufficiency and discuss with them how we can achieve food security,” he added.
Navarro said the supply of poultry products is also good.
"We are quite sufficient. So we need to examine how to aid our stakeholders, as well as create a manner in which our focus is always on our local produce and watching the price," he said.
“Because the market price might occasionally act as a trigger for importation in addition to supply. Therefore, we are attempting to address the barriers to the consumer receiving the goods at the right cost,” he added.
Corn supply will also be ample until the fourth quarter of 2024, with an annual 42-day cushion. Pork will also be available in sufficient quantities, with an annual excess of 54 days, and an ample supply of chicken, with a 181-day annual stock.
With a 189-day supply every year, eggs will likewise be sufficient. Navarro says the same is true with onions, sugar, and fish.
Navarro also expressed hope that local meat suppliers can meet market demand.
“To ensure that our stakeholders are aware of the demand situation and know how much to produce—both for pig and chicken—it is imperative that the demand situation be made really clear,” he said.
“We are therefore focusing more than ever on the importance of data, price, and volume monitoring with our stakeholders as well as the DA."