Manila:<Text>

The Philippines will remain 'food secure' amid the ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the Department of Agriculture (DA) assured on Wednesday. In a press conference, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said the country has a sufficient supply of agricultural commodities, particularly rice.

According to Philippines News Agency, as of February 26, 707,711.46 metric tons of imported rice arrived in the country since January, well within the target volume of import arrivals ahead of the local peak harvest season of palay. De Mesa noted that the Philippines has multiple sources of imported rice, including Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia, which are far from the Middle East.

When asked about the potential for a spike in retail rice prices, De Mesa said it is unlikely to see prices reaching PHP70 per kilo, as experienced during the Ukraine-Russia crisis. Current prices of premium imported rice in Metro Manila range from PHP52 to PHP62 per kilo, while other varieties of imported and local rice are also well within reasonable price ranges.

De Mesa also mentioned that the supply of other agricultural goods, such as vegetables and meat, will remain stable, as these commodities are primarily sourced from America and Europe, regions not significantly affected by the Middle East tension.

The DA official warned, however, that retail prices of agricultural commodities might be affected by fluctuations in global oil prices if there is a prolonged disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the DA is prepared to consider providing logistics assistance within the value-chain, similar to previous interventions for the hog sector affected by African swine fever.

Possible interventions could include trucking aid, fuel subsidies, and coordination with the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) for discounted toll rates. To mitigate the impact on Filipino consumers, De Mesa assured the availability of more afford able food through Kadiwa ng Pangulo sites across the country.