"MANILA, Sept 9 (Reuters) – The
Philippines will import an additional 750,000 tonnes of rice to boost
buffer stocks and keep local prices stable because of a crop-damaging El
Nino dry weather pattern that is now forecast to be among the strongest
in 65 years.
“There is no better option than being prepared,” the NFA said in a statement on Wednesday. “Drought due to El Nino is predicted to intensify beginning October and will last until May 2016,” it added.
The El Nino, or a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific, can lead to heavy rains and floods in South America but scorching weather across Asia and east Africa.
The current episode could be as severe as the 1997-1998 El Nino, which triggered a 24 percent drop in the Philippines’ rice harvest, the local weather bureau said, while cautioning that the event could be among the strongest since 1950.
Already, the Southeast Asian country has suffered crop losses in recent months due to below normal rainfall and is set to miss its 2015 target for rice output."
SUMMARY: The Philippines are well aware that El Nino is brewing near them and could fuel far more intense hurricanes for the monsoon season. They are preparing ahead of time, a good move, by stockpiling large imports of rice, larger than usual. Their own rice crops have been suffering due to a lack of rainfall in their area. For big storms one must take big precautions. Unlike Katrina's Americans, the Filipino people will be prepping months ahead of time.
“There is no better option than being prepared,” the NFA said in a statement on Wednesday. “Drought due to El Nino is predicted to intensify beginning October and will last until May 2016,” it added.
The El Nino, or a warming of sea-surface temperatures in the Pacific, can lead to heavy rains and floods in South America but scorching weather across Asia and east Africa.
The current episode could be as severe as the 1997-1998 El Nino, which triggered a 24 percent drop in the Philippines’ rice harvest, the local weather bureau said, while cautioning that the event could be among the strongest since 1950.
Already, the Southeast Asian country has suffered crop losses in recent months due to below normal rainfall and is set to miss its 2015 target for rice output."
SUMMARY: The Philippines are well aware that El Nino is brewing near them and could fuel far more intense hurricanes for the monsoon season. They are preparing ahead of time, a good move, by stockpiling large imports of rice, larger than usual. Their own rice crops have been suffering due to a lack of rainfall in their area. For big storms one must take big precautions. Unlike Katrina's Americans, the Filipino people will be prepping months ahead of time.
http://www.mb.com.ph/ph-rushes-to-import-rice-sees-el-nino-among-strongest-since-1950/#amd2lczA6GvPRTtX.99
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