Manila sees rice shortfall

Manila sees rice shortfall

MANILA (AFP): The Philippines is expecting a shortfall of
about 350,000 tons of rice this year, Agriculture Undersecretary
Domingo Panganiban said Saturday.

Asked on a government radio show if the country needed to
import rice this year, Panganiban said the government estimated
the Philippines could produce nine million tonnes, a shortfall of
350,000 tons.

This shortfall in production would likely appear in March and
April, in the dry season when rice harvests drop, he added.
Rice needed to make up the shortfall would have to be brought
into the country and be available to the public by July 1.