PHL rice self-sufficiency by 2013 not possible — study

The Philippine government's target for rice self-sufficiency by 2013 is not achievable, according to a study commissioned by Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS). The government’s Food Staples Sufficiency Program (FSSP) targets, of which rice is a major component, are based on highly ambitious and unrealistic projections, said Senior Research Fellow Roehlano Briones. Under the program, palay yield should increase to 4.53 metric tons (MT) per hectare (ha) from 3.78 Mt/ha, and production from 17.0 million MT to 22.7 million MT over the period of 2011 to 2016, corresponding to annual growth rates of 3.8 and 6.3 percent, respectively. Briones said these growth projections are clearly unattainable considering that historically, yield and production grew by a meager 1.5 and 3.2 percent, respectively, from 1994 to 2010. The study showed that the only way to achieve rice self-sufficiency is to increase import barriers. The study said protectionist policies would also make rice in the local market substantially more expensive and therefore will jeopardize the country’s pursuit for food security. It further suggests that a closer look at the underlying economic forces and economic behaviors of producers, consumers and markets will reveal that increasing rice production alone would not eliminate importation. Because of this, rice self-sufficiency target is unlikely to be achieved, whether in 2013 or even through the course of the decade to 2020, Briones said. Briones noted that the goal of self-sufficiency should not be equated to zero imports; rather, the goal should be based on a broader set of criteria such as nutritional norms for rice consumption and rice affordability, among others. Briones urged the government to rethink its policy. The Food Staples Sufficiency Program, one of the banner programs of the Department of Agriculture, is envisioned as a coherent plan toward achieving rice self-sufficiency or zero importation starting 2013. To achieve this goal, the budget allocation for agriculture has been increased to P55 billion for 2013, a sharp increase compared to its 2010 budget of 33 billion to fund various strategies such as improving irrigation, sustaining research and development for new crop varieties, promoting mechanized on-farm and postharvest strategies, and harnessing the potential of high-elevation and upland rice ecosystems. The government targets to increase rice production to 20.04 million MT in 2013, a level that the government deems sufficient enough to feed the entire nation. By 2014, production is expected to hit 21 million MT and 22 million MT by 2015 and 2016. — KBK, GMA News