The Department of Agriculture (DA) said supply and pricing of rice are stable despite the importation ban and the devastation caused by recent tropical cyclones,

DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said even if we had an import ban, the supply of rice is good. And even if we got hit by tropical cyclones, we expect that the harvest has been good as well until the end of the year.

De Mesa said the record rice harvest in 2023 may even be surpassed this year.

De Mesa added that the record harvest in 2023 was 20.06 million metric tons.

He said we also had tropical cyclones then but they were not that strong. Unlike the following year, 2024, wherein we experienced an intense El Niño and then a strong La Niña with many tropical cyclones.