The government will be stricter in the importation of rice and will buy the local farmers' produce, Malacañang said on Friday.

In a press briefing, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, quoting Agriculture Secretary William Dar, said there was no need to suspend rice importation.

"Yes, because according to the Secretary of Agriculture there is no need; they will just be strict on the requirements for the importation. So apparently, for now there is no need for that. What the President (Rodrigo Duterte) is going to do now is to help the farmers by subsidizing and buying rice from them," he said.

Last Tuesday night, Duterte ordered to suspend rice importation this harvest season to alleviate the plight of the local farmers who have been complaining of the low prices of their harvests since the implementation of the tariffication law this year.

Panelo said Duterte has ordered to buy the farmers' produce even if the government would lose money.

He added, "There will be strict enforcement on the requirements (to import rice)."

He said it would be up to the Department of Agriculture to come up with stricter enforcement. Celerina Monte/DMS