Philippines to import rice until next year – Pangilinan

The Philippines has pushed back its 2013 target to attain self-sufficiency in rice production by another two years, an official said on Tuesday, adding that the country will likely have to import hundreds of thousands of tons next year.

“We’re pretty set at 1.7 million metric tons” of rice imports for this year, said Francis Pangilinan, an adviser to President Benigno Aquino 3rd on food security.