Philippine president calls for Southeast Asian cooperation to ensure rice supply

Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo called Wednesday for cooperation among Southeast Asian countries to ensure adequate rice supplies and stable prices.

Addressing a meeting of farmers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in southern Cagayan de Oro city, Arroyo urged the regional bloc to work on improving productivity through research and development of new high-yielding varieties.

The Philippines is the world's top rice importer while Thailand and Vietnam are among the biggest exporters. All are members of ASEAN, along with some of the world's other top rice-consuming nations _ Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Singapore.

"We realize that we must spend considerable time ... not just resolving the situation in our individual countries, but dedicating ourselves to the regional and global discussions on what must be done for emerging nations such as ASEAN on the vital issue of food security," Arroyo said.

Prices of rice and other food staples have been rising around the world, sparking violent protests in some countries.

Arroyo called the rice crisis a "wake up call" for all countries to find joint solutions.

World Bank Managing Director Juan Jose Daboub warned Tuesday in Singapore that global poverty levels could surge over the next three years due to rising food costs, which are on average more than 2 1/2 times higher, compared with early 2002.

Daboub also predicted that the price of rice, which recently broke a record US$1,000 (euro650) per metric ton, won't ease.

Philippine Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said last week the country will continue to buy rice on the international market to build local inventories in preparation for typhoon season. The Philippines has contracted 1.7 million tons to fill a 10 percent domestic production gap.

Yap said the state grains agency, the National Food Authority, still needs to import around 675,000 tons of rice as buffer stocks for the last quarter of the year.

Arroyo said ASEAN countries should work with the Philippine-based International Rice Research Institute to help improve rice production.

"We must work together, in the Philippines and in ASEAN, to improve agronomic practices, to enhance the ability to utilize rice varieties more effectively and also to promote rice breeding because many want to plant hybrid rice," she said.

Arroyo will discuss food security cooperation and improving rice production and distribution during talks with Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, who will make an official visit to the Philippines on Thursday and Friday.