The Department of Agriculture (DA) is embarking on a modernization program to increase post-milling rice recovery from only 62 percent of potential at the moment and cut post-harvest wastage.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., said the program will be pursued through known scientific means to boost local rice production.
Laurel, as consequence, urged experts, scientists and the entire sector to “harmonize efforts” to attain food sufficiency, especially for rice.
Aside from the modernization program, Laurel also said he will look into the staffing at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Munoz, Nueva Ecija, and bring in more employees and scientists than staff of only 297 personnel.
PhilRice executive director John de Leon had said the agency employs 1,500 contractual workers, many of them highly capable in their respective fields.
But according to Laurel, PhilRice even with 140-hectares and eight stations throughout the country, is “severely undermanned” given its central role of producing seeds and developing technology that helps increase rice output.
In October, the DA said the agriculture sector may still post a record harvest this year despite the anticipated impact of the El Niño phenomenon.
Leo Sebastian, DA Undersecretary for rice industry development, had said palay or unhusked rice production this year can hopefully reach 20 million metric tons more or less.
In 2021, rice production hit a record 19.96 million MT but eased a bit to 19.76 million MT last year.
The DA said the optimistic harvest view is driven by the 300,000 MT increase in palay production in the first six months this year.
