Manila aims to halt rice imports in three years
The Philippines is mounting an ambitious bid to achieve self-sufficiency in rice within three years as a policy of relying on imports to cover production shortfalls unravels amid tightening global supply and soaring world prices. The government is hoping the Philippines, the world's biggest rice importer, will be able to halt imports by 2010 thanks to a spending spree on irrigation and farm support aimed at boosting production. The country's 2m rice farmers produced only 90 per cent of its requirements during the past seven years, necessitating imports averaging 1.2m tonnes a year.