Vietnam commits stable rice supply to PH —Romualdez

Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez of Leyte said that Vietnam has committed to providing stable rice supply to the country.

Romualdez said the Philippines secured the pledge during his meeting with his counterpart, Vuong Dinh Hue, National Assembly of Vietnam president, at the 44th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Inter-Parliamentary Assembly in Indonesia.

“In the meeting, Romualdez secured the commitment of Vietnam to provide the Philippines with stable supply of rice at an affordable price,” a statement from the Speaker's office said.

"The assurance of supply from Vietnam could help boost the country’s rice supply and dampen possible price spikes fueled by speculation over possible shortages," the statement dded.

In response, Romualdez offered to provide Vietnam with specific products and materials it may need to meet the demand of its industries or consumers.

India late last month banned white rice exports amid uncertainty over domestic production, heightening food supply worries among importers of the staple in Asia and Africa.

Last week, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla said that the agency is eyeing to import anew 1.3 million metric tons of rice.

Sombilla, however, said that there are still stocks of rice that could last for 39 days, noting that measures are in place to increase rice production.

Meanwhile, Quezon Representative and House agriculture and food chairperson Mark Enverga lauded Romualdez for securing such commitment.

"The threat of El Niño is still present despite the recent rains, and we are still trying to boost our crop production. Other countries are restricting their rice importation policies. Speaker Romualdez knows that we need all the help we can get to ensure a stable supply of rice," he said.—Llanesca Panti/LDF, GMA Integrated News