Develop Mindanao rice paddies instead of importing rice, Amin urges DA-NFA

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY—The Anak Mindanao (AMIN) Party-list today urges the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA) to prioritize the development of agriculture in Mindanao to supply the needed food stocks required by the whole country.
Reacting to reports that the government will be buying a minimum of 1.45 million metric tons (MMT) in the international market to beef up government stocks in 2010, AMIN Rep. Ariel C. Hernandez said that instead of looking outside for answers, government must start looking inside.
“It is lamentable that this government always turns abroad for needed answers to internal problems such as rice shortfall. Instead of importing rice from abroad, government, especially the Agriculture department must invest more in Mindanao,” he said.
Hernandez also said that government leaders must focus its energy in developing our own, instead of giving business to other countries.
“Even Brunei is eyeing Mindanao to supply its rice needs. So why can’t we believe in our capacities to supply our own need when other countries like Brunei has already signified its intention of getting Mindanao to supply its rice needs?” he asked.

BIMP-Eaga signing minister Jesus Dureza has recently announced that Brunei is looking at Mindanao for their rice production.
Typhoons Pepeng and Ondoy had destroyed at least 60 percent of the rice production in the country, Hernandez said quoting Department of Agriculture figures.
“It’s the time for the national government to seriously and once and for all develop Mindanao rather than looking at short term solution of importation,” he stressed.
Hernandez said that unlike Luzon and the Visayas which is always ravaged by typhoons which destroy agricultural areas, Mindanao enjoys a relatively typhoon-free climate as it is located outside the typhoon belt and enjoys a fair tropical climate, which translate to rich agricultural production.
Mindanao has traditionally contributed at least 40 percent of the country’s total agricultural production (the 60 percent of which is being shared by the Visayas and Luzon) but the island still wallows in underdevelopment and lack of adequate farm-to-market roads.
Mindanao also contributes more than 30 percent to the national food trade.
Agriculture is the driving force behind Mindanao’s economy. Close to a third of its land area is devoted to agriculture. More than one-third of the island’s labor force is employed in the agriculture, fishery and forestry sectors.
“Mindanao’s evenly distributed tropical climate makes it ideal for year-round crop production. If wisely harnessed, Mindanao’s rich agricultural resources can serve as the Philippines’ foundation for sustainable growth,” Hernandez said.
Mindanao’s rich soil accounts for bountiful harvests of a variety of farm products. It grows most of the Philippines’ major crops such as rubber (100% of national production), pineapple (91%), cacao (90%) as well as banana, coffee, corn and coconut (over 50%). The island also produces exotic fruits like pomelo, mangosteen and durian.
The recent typhoons that devastated Luzon has caused the shortfall of NFA’s buffer stock for 2010, forcing it to import rice.
The NFA said Tropical Storm Ondoy and Typhoon Pepeng destroyed some 1.3 MMT of paddy rice or 845,000 MT of milled rice.
Because of this, the country’s rice sufficiency level is now only at 86 percent, NFA said. ####