Albay Rep. Joey Salceda on Sunday warned against a possible global rice supply downturn amid droughts in China, the world’s top rice-producing nation.
“Crucial 30 days for action,” Salceda said as he called on the Department of Agriculture for “heavy support” for the local rice crop dry season, and secure contracts on imports to guarantee rice supply.
“What we do over the next 30 days will be crucial. We need a comprehensive package of assistance, and a plan to deal with potential global rice issues. It’s like the half-time break,” he said.
The solon appealed to the DA – currently headed by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — to invest heavily in attaining a domestic bumper crop of rice during the dry cropping season, which starts next month and peaks in November.
This is amid reports of drought in China’s Yangtze River. This feeds into some of the Philippines’ major sources of imported rice.
Should a global shortage take place, Salceda warned that rice prices could increase to at least P48 per kilo by November, unless the country sees a strong dry season harvest and secures import contracts from foreign governments.
“China’s Yangtze River regions are experiencing bad spells of drought this year, and there are indications that the Mekong River (Lancang River before it leaves China’s borders) could suffer similar issues. They have the same source. That’s not good for our rice supply, because Thailand and Vietnam rely heavily on the Mekong for rice production,” he said.
“Myanmar is also suffering from lower rice production, as some agricultural areas have been affected by civil strife. India, our major non-ASEAN source of imported rice, is likewise suffering drought in some key areas. So, one can almost certainly predict that there will be global rice supply issues within the next three to four months,” he added.
Salceda clarified that he is just being realistic on his presumptions.
“I’m not trying to sound negative, given all the other crises we have to deal with. But I think, now that we can see the problems ahead before they can come, we have a chance to act. We have a 30-day window before the dry cropping season starts,” he said.