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Philippines lowers 2014 rice output target

Philippines is likely to miss its rice production this year due to strong typhoons, according to the country’s Department of Agriculture.
Philippines is likely to miss its rice production this year due tostrong typhoons, according to the country’s Department of Agriculture.

The government has set the target of 19.07 million tonnes forthis year, but the rice output for 2014 may reach only 18.88million or 18.89 million tonnes, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcalasaid.

According to the Philippines Statistics Authority(PSA), in the first nine months of 2014, unmilled rice output rose by50,000 tonnes year on year to 11.41 tonnes. However, the rice harvestdeclined by 10 percent in Quarter 3 after some strong typhoons such asGlenda, Luis, and Marino hit the country.

The country isstriving to increase rice production in Q4 to 7.47 million tonnes inorder to reach the total output of 10.5 million tonnes in the secondhalf of this year.

Previously, the agriculturedepartment set the target of 59.68 million tonnes of rice in the2014-2016 period as part of the country’s efforts to becomeself-sufficient in rice.

In 2013, the country produced 18.44 million tonnes of rice, satisfying 96 percent of rice demand.-VNA
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