[Admin] DA’s reply to Mr. Butch del Castillo’s Omerta Column entitled, “Alcala Defies NEDA on Rice,” Business Mirror, 10/8/2013 Department of Agriculture Sec. Proceso J. Alcala upholds consensus decision-making, especially on key policy issues. This is why he is saddened by the column of Mr. Butch del Castillo suggesting that he disregards NEDA Director-General Arsenio M. Balisacan’s recommendation to import 500,000 metric tons of rice immediately due to alleged production shortfalls. For the record, Sec. Alcala never said anything that challenges the proposal of a colleague in the President’s economic team. Instead, as the Secretary has explained in various fora, the DA and its grains agency, the National Food Authority, have been following a calibrated approach and an established process in dealing with rice importation. The DA continues to be guided by the President’s policy pronouncement during his second State of the Nation Address on 25 July 2011: “Ang gusto nating mangyari: Una, hindi na tayo aangkat ng hindi kailangan. Ikalawa, ayaw na nating umasa sa pag-angkat. Ang isasaing ni Juan de la Cruz dito ipupunla, dito aanihin, dito bibilhin.” (What we want to happen: First, we will not import what we do not need. Second, we do not want to rely on importation. What Juan de la Cruz cooks will be planted here, harvested here, bought here.) The country’s main harvest occurs in the second half of the year, the wet season crop, which produces 60% of the annual output. Thus, decisions on whether to import and how much are usually finalized by the NFA Council at the start of the succeeding year, taking into account the inventory at the end of the year and the outlook for the first semester or the dry season crop. Forecast palay production for 2013 is 18.566 million metric tons. This is equivalent to 12.068 million MT of rice. Adding to this the imports (213.1 MT), confiscated rice (30.7 MT) and the beginning rice inventory of 2.524 million MT gives the forecast available rice supply of 14.836 million metric tons which is more than enough to cover the demand of about 12.6 million MT. The excess totaling 2.236 million MT will serve as buffer stock calculated to cover 74 days of the countrys requirements. We acknowledge the statistical lapse made during a recent Senate hearing, which has been cited in many debates for and against the country’s quest for food staples sufficiency. The figures presented by Asst. Secretary and concurrent Bureau of Agricultural Statistics Director Romeo S. Recide during the inquiry failed to include the beginning balance, and this spelled a world of difference. We owe it to every Filipino to rectify that lapse, and that’s what we have been doing through opportunities such as this. Thank you for your interest in agriculture and ensuring food staples on every Filipino dining table. ###
Posted on: Wed, 09 Oct 2013 06:04:03 +0000