EDITORIAL - Rice exporter

Barring any exceptionally destructive natural calamity, the nation is on track to become an exporter of rice by early next year, according to Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala. If this is achieved, it will be a welcome change from the long, snaking lines of people waiting to buy subsidized rice from government outlets during the Arroyo administration, when tight global supply pushed up prices in the world market.

Soaring rice prices during that crisis were blamed partly on the Philippines, which industry players said pushed up prices in the world market in its effort to stockpile supplies. The effort was driven by the inability of the country to produce enough rice for local consumption. For a long time the Philippines, where the so-called “miracle rice” was developed, has been an importer of its staple, despite having large tracts of land devoted to rice production.

Certain quarters, particularly those who benefit from rice importation, have argued that leading rice-exporting countries such as Vietnam, Thailand and India are naturally blessed with river systems and other conditions that are ideal for rice production.

If the Philippines manages to become a rice exporter by next year, it will show that certain farm inputs can make a significant difference in boosting rice production. Most crucial is efficient irrigation, which Alcala said the government has provided to several provinces and continues to expand across the country. Other necessary inputs are technology, farm support and post-harvest facilities.

Increasing rice yields and making production profitable enough so that rice farmers do not live a hand-to-mouth existence will also contribute to the success of the agrarian reform program. Poor profits from rice fields have forced many agrarian reform beneficiaries to sell their lands.

If the nation becomes a rice exporter by next year, the government and stakeholders must see to it that the achievement is sustained, even with the natural calamities that hit the country regularly. The government must also invest in research and development to produce high-yield and special varieties, as other rice-exporting nations are doing. For a country that is a major consumer of rice, self-sufficiency in the staple is welcome news. Becoming a rice exporter is even better.