Alcala sees Phl exceeding 100-MT rice export target

MANILA, Philippines - Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said he believes the Philippines can exceed the initial rice export target of 100 metric tons (MT) this year as overseas markets demand for more varieties. 

“I believe we can exceed the target because more countries now want to try different (rice) varieties,” Alcala said in an interview yesterday.

The Department of Agriculture held yesterday a ceremonial send-off at the Manila Harbor Center for the inaugural shipment of 35 MT of white and black premium rice bound for Dubai.

Bound for Dubai on May 9 are 20 MT of Jasponica rice – a white, long grain and aromatic variety – produced by SL Agritech Corp. in Talavera, Nueva Ecija.

Also scheduled for shipment to Dubai on May 9 are 15 MT of black rice produced by the Don Bosco Development Foundation in Mlang, North Cotabato.

The shipments were consolidated by the Vegetable Importers and Exporters Vendors Association (VIEVA).

Also being prepared for shipment to Dubai this month are 20 MT of white, long grain and aromatic rice produced by the Don Bosco Development Foundation.

Bound for the United States, on the other hand, are 30 MT of heirloom rice between September and October.

Other shipments are being prepared for Hong Kong, Macau, Middle East and South Africa.

The government is pursuing the exportation of premium rice because the Philippines cannot compete with cheap rice produced by neighboring Thailand and Vietnam.

Alcala said rice exportation would also protect the incomes of farmers because prices of the staple would fall once the country achieves rice self-sufficiency.

“We want our farmers to start considering opportunities in the export market,” he said.

The DA aims to attain an exportation level of over 300,000 MT by 2016 to match the 350,000 MT of foreign rice entering the country via the minimum access volume (MAV).

Heirloom rice from the Cordillera region is seen to be a major contributor to rice exports.

The DA National Rice program, has granted P20 million to the Ifugao provincial government to restore the damaged portion of Batad rice terraces.

The rice program also committed to provide an initial P10 million for heirloom rice producers for the construction of small processing centers.

The Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) is also conducting a DNA fingerprinting of heirloom rice varieties in the country to protect local varieties from adverse claims, locally and internationally.

Aside from the rice shipments for Dubai, agriculture officials also ceremonially sent off 56 MT of Philippine shallots to Belwaan, and 110 tons more to Surabaya, both in Indonesia.