President Benigno Aquino III wants the Philippines to self-sufficient when it comes to rice this 2013. He has even declared 2013 as the National Year of Rice, according to Interaksyon.com.
He has high hopes for the country. He predicted that the Philippines will not just be self-sufficient next year, but also be ready to become a net rice exporter.
“A sustained and nationwide campaign to boost farmers’ morale and motivate them to adopt technologies to further improve farm productivity and encourage the general public to be responsible rice consumers are necessary to complement the government’s efforts to achieve rice self-sufficiency,” Aquino said in Proclamation No. 494.
Aquino said that before he became president, the Philippines was importing 2.5 million metric tons of rice so that the 1.3 million metric ton demand would be met.
The plan is have “no importation” of rice in 2013.
