Aquino upbeat: no more rice, corn importations in a few years

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippines will start exporting rice next year, barring any weather catastrophes, President Benigno Aquino III said on Thursday.

During the 2012 Agri-Machinery Roadshow on Thursday, Aquino said the country will eventually no longer import corn and cassava.

"For 2012, we will only be importing 500,000 tons. By next year, we will no longer import rice. We will already be rice self-sufficient," Aquino said.

"And if we are lucky, and we are not battered by too many typhoons, we will be exporting rice next year," he added.

Under the Department of Agriculture's Food Staples Sufficiency Program, the country also aims to be self-sufficient in other fruits and vegetables.

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