As the El Niño phenomenon threatens to take its toll on the country’s food sufficiency program, government has assured the arrival of some 500,000 imported rice to help avert a food crisis.

Expected to arrive in the Philippines within December 2023 and the first two months of 2024, rice coming from various countries will boost local inventory that will address leaner local production resulting from the long dry spell brought by El Nino.

The Department of Agriculture said 76,000 MT of rice will be coming in from Taiwan and India by early January.

Before Christmas, 1,000 MT arrived from Taiwan. This is half of the Taiwanese government’s donation of 2 MT.

The Indian government has allocated 295,000 MT of the staple, with at least 75,000 MT arriving in the country this week until early January.

“We received reports that around 100,000 tons of imported rice has already arrived in the country. This is part of the 495,000 metric tons committed by import permit holders,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu-Laurel Jr.

It was noted that India has banned the export of non-basmati white rice a few months back as government made attempts to stabilize domestic supply and prices.

Nevertheless, India approved the export of over one million metric tons to seven countries, including the Philippines.

Government’s Philippine News AGency reported that the arrival of imported rice and the volume harvested by farmers in recent months will respond to the food supply issues that are expected to be triggered by El NIño.