Washington backs Manila on rice quota extension – Alcala

With Washington pledging full support for Manila’s bid to extend its special treatment on rice, the Department of Agriculture (DA) expects to acquire consensus with interested countries to operate under new quantitative restrictions (QRs) until 2017.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala told reporters that the governments of the Philippines and the United States have reached “substantive agreement” over Manila’s request for a five-year extension of the special treatment on rice.