This article was written in April 2008, when rice prices in the international market reached about $1,000 per metric ton, up from $430 in the beginning of 2008. It blames policy makers for the country’s dependence on rice imports and the resulting food insecurity. It says that the international rice market may prove unreliable considering that it is “thin and highly skewed”. The author explains it thus: “Less than 10 percent of the total rice produced globally is being traded. Further, 73 to 85 percent of what is being exported is cornered by just six country-producers while those importing 85 percent of what is being offered in the global market is composed of some 35 countries.”
According to the article, the Philippines must push for rice sufficiency through steps such as a System of Rice Intensification (SRI). The government also needs to provide the needed infrastructure and develop financial facilities for farmers. In order to avoid rapid conversion of farmlands into commercial and residential zones, a National Land Plan must also be enacted.
