Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, June 25) – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting an additional 1.1 million metric tons of palay production amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said the additional palay production will increase the country’s rice sufficiency level to around 93-95%.
Dar emphasized that boosting the country’s overall palay production will help meet the department’s target of 2.5% growth in agriculture this year.
“This will be a big boost to having enough rice in the country,” Dar told CNN Philippines’ Newsroom Ngayon on Friday.
The DA reported that the Philippines posted its highest rice production level in 2020 at 19.4 million metric tons.
To meet the goal of a higher rice sufficiency level in the country this year, Dar said they will continue to distribute rice seeds and fertilizers to farmers under the agency’s Rice Competitive Enhancement Program.
Dar added the department will also provide ₱5,000 financial assistance to each of the at least 1.5 million rice farmers in the country who till two hectares and below.
He said the funds for the “social protection support” of the rice farmers came from the ₱2.3-billion excess rice tariffs in 2019 and the ₱5.4-billion surplus rice tariffs in 2020.
“We hope to give this before Christmas,” Dar said, adding the cash aid will be given to the farmers through their ATM cards.
The expanded palay production target and the assistance to Filipino rice farmers are some of the Agriculture Department’s initiatives under its One DA Reform Agenda, which Dar said aims to transform Philippine agriculture under the new normal.
