The Philippines, a major rice importer, is expected to continue relying on rice imports to meet domestic demand[4]. The country has been importing between 1 to 2 million metric tons of rice annually, primarily from Thailand and Vietnam[4]. This import volume accounts for 10% of the Philippines’ total rice consumption[4].
To support low-income families, the government plans to adjust the prices of rice sold by the National Food Authority (NFA)[3]. The NFA’s role in ensuring a reasonable return to farmers and providing affordable rice to consumers has been limited, as its palay procurement program has only accounted for an average of 1.89% of total rice production from 2000 to 2017[3]. The rice tariffication law aims to lower rice prices and increase government assistance to the agricultural sector, which could directly benefit both farmers and the poor[3].
Shifting consumer diets away from sole dependence on rice and promoting the cultivation of alternative crops have also been proposed as potential solutions to address the country’s rice shortage[4]. Educating consumers on the health benefits of consuming less rice and more fruits and vegetables could also help reduce the reliance on rice as the primary staple food[4].
Citations:
[1] https://directorstalk.net/palm-oil-rises-on-strong-exports
[2] https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/156759/adbi-dp8.pdf
[3] https://neda.gov.ph/rice-tariffication-a-win-for-farmers-and-the-poor-neda/
[4] https://www.nodai.ac.jp/cip/iss/english/9th_iss/fullpaper/1-1-5nchu-tibao.pdf
[5] https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/157236/adbi-rp57.pdf