Philippines seeks rice supply boost, may look to India

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Saturday the country must boost its rice stocks and that he may seek a supply deal with India, worried about the potential impact of El Nino dry weather on the local harvest and about other suppliers.

“I’m thinking about the national supply for rice,” Marcos told officials in the northern province of Cagayan, where he went to assess the damage from Typhoon Doksuri.

Marcos, who is also agriculture secretary, expressed concern about the global supply situation. “Everybody is preparing for El Nino, all of Southeast Asia. ”

The Philippines, one of the world’s biggest rice importers, traditionally buys the staple grain mainly from its neighbour Vietnam. But Marcos said supply from Vietnam might become limited as other buyers crowd in.

“I think we can make a deal with India. Maybe there’s someone there we can talk to,”…