The country expects to import ''much less'' than the projection of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) of 3.8 million metric tons for 2023-2024, an official of the Department of Agriculture said Thursday.

''We expect to import much less than USDA's 3.8 million metric tons projected rice import in 2023,'' said Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian.

Sebastian said this is due to ''intensified efforts to produce more rice locally.''

The USDA's projection would make the Philippines as the world's biggest rice importer, displacing China, which it estimates would import 3.5 million metric tons.

''The uncertainty of depending on external sources for our staple and high price of imported rice makes it imperative for us to produce more locally,'' added Sebastian.

The Philippines, which has imported 1.5 million metric tons of rice so far, has temporarily imposed a ceiling on regular and well milled rice of P41 to P45 a kilo recently after prices soared.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said that with imports and harvest coming in, in September, the ceiling will be lifted. DMS