Philippines overstocked with rice — NFA chief

Published by rudy Date posted on July 28, 2010

THE PHILIPPINES, which has been the world’s biggest rice importer in recent years, is now overstocked with the grain and will likely cut overseas orders dramatically, the government said yesterday.

National Food Authority (NFA) chief Lito T. Banayo said import orders by the previous administration had been extremely excessive, and hinted that corrupt officials may have been responsible.

“Our warehouses are filled. We are swimming in rice,” Mr. Banayo told reporters at the presidential palace.

“I don’t want to judge my predecessors. Whether culpability lies in incompetence or something worse, which is… corruption, the figures speak for themselves.”

His remarks came after President Benigno C. Aquino III said in a speech before Congress on Monday that the NFA had imported too much rice since 2004, with some of the grain left rotting in warehouses.

Mr. Aquino’s criticism was part of a blistering condemnation of his predecessor, Gloria Arroyo, who he replaced on June 30.

Mr. Banayo, who was chosen by Mr. Aquino to head the NFA, said that because of the oversupply, the delivery of 150,000 tons of rice from Vietnam had been pushed back from April to September.

The Philippines ordered 2.4 million tons of rice from abroad in 2009 but most of it was due for delivery in 2010, according to the NFA.

He said the government would likely cut imports next year if local rice production was strong.

“If we don’t have a big storm, we will lower significantly our importation for next year,” he said.

He reiterated Mr. Aquino’s objective of achieving self-sufficiency in rice, describing it as “a national security issue.”

Mr. Banayo said the excessive imports of recent years had pushed up the price of rice in the world market and left the NFA with a debt of P177 billion.

He said he ordered an audit to find the cause of the oversupply. — AFP

April 2025

World Day for Safety and Health at Work
“Safety and health at work every day!”

Invoke Article 33 of the ILO constitution
against the military junta in Myanmar to carry out the 2021 ILO Commission of Inquiry recommendations against serious violations of Forced Labour and Freedom of Association protocols.
Accept National Unity Government
(NUG) of Myanmar.
Reject Military!
#WearMask #WashHands #Distancing #TakePicturesVideos

Time to support & empower survivors. Time to spark a global conversation. Time for #GenerationEquality to #orangetheworld!

Monthly Observances:

March – Women’s Role in History Month
April – Month of Planet Earth

Weekly Observances:
Last Week of March: Protection and Gender Fair Treatment of the Girl Child Week
Last Week of April – World Immunization Week

Daily Observances:
Mar 25 – International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transallantic Slave Trade
Mar 27– Earth Hour
Apr 21 – Civil Service Day
Apr 22 – World Earth Day
Apr 28 – World Day for Safety and Health at Work

Trade Union Solidarity Campaigns

No to Trafficking

Jobs! Jobs! Jobs!

Categories