Produce enough rice in 3 yrs. to stop importation: Aquino
President Benigno Aquino III has instructed the Department of Agriculture to produce enough rice for the country’s requirements in three years time to put a stop to rice importation.
DA Undersecretary Joel Rudinas made this disclosure during the recent launching of the soil conservation guided farm and tree planting in Dinalupihan, Bataan.
Rudinas, however, said the target depends on global reality in the constant threat of climate change like typhoons and other environmental problems.
Another concern deals with realities and capabilities of the agricultural sector. On the last concern, he said that this has to be calibrated for farmers to produce more.
Rudinas said the President wanted to have a very sustainable agri-business activity for small farmers.
He said the Chief Executive has directed the Agriculture department under Secretary Proceso Alcala to fix the investment, marketing and distribution chain so that transaction costs of farmers like the delivery and utilization of inputs and use of technology would result to bigger production.
The President also wants to minimize losses on post- harvest and then the produce to be brought to consolidation centers where wholesalers can meet with the wholesale producers or wholesale suppliers, he said.
“The end result of all these, the farmers would then be encouraged to produce, adopt and invest in production-enhancing technology because they are earning, which P-Noy wants to happen in the rural areas or production centers, ” he added. PNA
