President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. praised the country's record high local palay production despite the effects of the El Niño phenomenon and global challenges.
Marcos: El Niño's impact on farms severe; crop insurance to protect farmers | ANC
“If you want a kinakaharap, the best thing you can do is buy a palette to make it happen. Pumalo ito sa lagpas dalawampung milyong tonelada, pinakamataas na ani mula 1987,” he said in his third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday (July 22).
Marcos, however, reported that this is only equivalent to 13 million tons of rice, which is less than the country's demand of 16 million tons of rice, which led to imports.
The Chief Executive pledged to prioritize boosting local production and improving the entire agricultural value chain to address rising retail rice prices.
