The Department of Agriculture anticipates a year-end rice inventory at a significantly higher volume of 3.64 million metric tons, with the impact of El Niño on palay production less pronounced than initially expected.
Assistant Secretary for Operations U-Nichols Manalo said the projected volume is equivalent to approximately 93 days of national rice consumption, exceeding the 1.9 million MT recorded in December 2023.
Manalo, who is also director of DA’s National Rice Program, said that when the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAG-ASA) declared the end of El Niño on June 7, only 191,233 MT of rice, or about 2 percent of the 9.2 million MT target ending the dry cropping season were reported as damaged to date.
The national rice inventory represents the total volume of rice available within the country at a given period after subtracting the demand from various sectors such as food consumption, waste, and other uses. This inventory encompasses both locally-produced and imported rice. It serves as a critical indicator for assessing food security and planning for agricultural and trade policies related to rice.
If the DA’s national rice inventory year-end projection is realized, the national inventory at the end of 2024 will be the highest in at least a quarter of a century, topping the 3.42 million MT in 2010 (PSA data).
Similarly, only 4 percent of the 4.5 million MT corn target was affected, totaling 188,861 MT ending the dry cropping season, he added.
“This indicates that our rice and corn supplies were not severely impacted,” Manalo said.
To mitigate the effects of the dry spell and assist affected farmers and fishers, the DA has extended interventions across 170,469 hectares. As of June 6, financial aid and farm inputs amounting to P9.23 billion have been distributed to 1,174,699 beneficiaries.
Manalo said the Office of the President also provided additional support that benefitted farmers, fisherfolk, and their families across eight regions.
In preparation for the anticipated La Niña, the DA has initiated strategies focusing on water management.
“We are collaborating closely with relevant agencies to develop action plans that prioritize managing excess water resulting from anticipated heavy rainfall,” Manalo explained.
The DA will oversee initiatives like desilting irrigation canals, repairing and rehabilitating irrigation systems, inspecting and maintaining gates and hoists, and constructing small-scale irrigation projects and canals. Additionally, it will promote submergent-tolerant and early maturing crop varieties and establish seed reserves in key areas to ensure sustained food production nationwide despite irregular weather patterns. ###
