NEDA sees 2.2-M metric ton rice shortfall by yearend

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala’s rice self-sufficiency projections and the National Food Authority’s (NFA) reported plan to import another 100,000 metric tons (MT) of rice this year have lost the confidence of the Aquino administration’s economic team, lawyer crusader Argee Guevarra divulged on Tuesday.

“The cat is out of the bag; Alcala should just come clean,” said Guevarra, referring to a supposed September 2013 National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Memorandum for the President signed by NEDA Secretary Arsenio Balisacan, “a document conclusively and categorically belying all of the DA [Department of Agriculture]-NFA’s pronouncements.”