The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Saturday it is expecting around 85 to 90 days national rice stock inventory by the end of December in addition to supply from abroad, making the country’ sufficient to last until the next harvest season.

“At the end, we’re expecting mga 85 to 90 days national stock inventory natin by end of December which is enough na maitawid natin hanggang sa susunod na harvest season come March or April,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said in a news forum in Quezon City.

“Siyempre mayroon din namang import na dumarating kasi liberalized naman iyong importation natin ? based on historical data, may dumarating din na imports additional during the first quarter,” he added.

De Mesa said the DA is expecting a total of 20 million metric tons or slightly higher before year-end for this year’s dry and wet harvest season.

Rice imports as of end November is 3.03 million metric tons, which is lower compared to last year’s 3.5 million metric tons for the same period.

“Last year ang kabuuan is 3.8; we’re expecting this year mga 3.2, 3.3 million metric tons wala pa iyong Indian rice. So, kumbaga, magkaroon lang nang kaunting diprensiya, so plus matatag naman iyong ating production,” De Mesa explained.

De Mesa added the DA is waiting for the delivery of the 95,000 metric tons of Indian rice out of the 295,000 metric tons secured by the government.

This volume will be followed by succeeding deliveries in January, he added. Presidential News Desk