ASEAN asked to boost crisis rice reserves

ASEAN asked to boost crisis rice reserves

BANGKOK (Reuters): Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations should boost emergency rice reserves to ensure regional food security, Thai Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi said yesterday.

The reserves should be adjusted to reflect current realities and made more accessible, he told reporters after opening a meeting of the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board.

"The meeting will review the emergency rice reserves. I think there is a need to increase the reserves and to make sure that the accessibility of the reserves by those who need it is quick and effective," he said.

ASEAN groups Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The current ASEAN emergency rice reserve, meant for use by member countries at times of emergency triggered by natural disasters, stands at only 84,000 tons.

Thailand, the world's biggest rice exporter, contributes 15,000 tons to the reserve. Myanmar and Vietnam give 14,000 tons each while Indonesia and the Philippines each contribute 12,000 tons.

Malaysia and Singapore, which are both net food importers, give 6,000 tons and 5,000 tons respectively to the reserve. Laos contributes 3,000 tons, the same amount as Brunei.

Under existing rules, any member country facing a food crisis must inform other members that it needs emergency help. Member countries will consequently dispense the amount of rice requested at agreed prices or conditions.

Once the rice is delivered, each contributing member country must refill the reserve quota.

However, since the ASEAN Food Security Reserve Board was established in 1979, no single country among ASEAN members has drawn from it.

A commerce ministry official said reason that members were reluctant to touch the reserve was its small size. In addition, the rice was not meant for those facing economic crises.

"The reserve is for those who are rendered unable to provide their people with food due to natural disasters. I don't know if the scope will be expanded to cover economic crises as well," the official said.

"The size of the reserve is also too small. Indonesia, for example, needs millions of tons of rice to meet demand this year, partly due to El Nio," the official added.

Apart from the rice reserve, the participants will also discuss the world food situation, the development of an early warning system for food crises and review the food situation in each member country.

The group will also set up an ASEAN Food Security Information homepage on the Internet to share information on food security.