Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 27) – The Bukidnon provincial government on Friday lifted the ban on the sale and delivery by local producers and traders of rice outside the province.
Bukidnon Governor Jose Ma. Zubiri issued Executive Order No. 18-A which supersedes the recent order prohibiting rice producers to supply rice grains outside the province in order to meet the 100,000 bags of rice needed throughout the lockdown period due to COVID-19 pandemic.
Located in northern Mindanao, Bukidnon is one of the country’s top rice producers.
The Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, assured that the country has enough rice supply for the next four months.
Agriculture Secretary William Dar said that rice stock is expected to reach 2.661 million metric tons, or equivalent to 75 days, by the end of the first quarter.
“With harvest already coming in, along with the steady arrival of imported rice, we expect no shortage of the staple during the duration of the enhanced community quarantine and beyond,” he said in a recent statement.
