Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. yesterday urged the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to speed up the movement of nearly 1,000 container vans of imported rice held in various Manila ports for months.

The PPA estimates there are currently over 888 shipping vans containing approximately 20,000 metric tons (MT) of rice in the container yards of Manila ports.

PPA general manager Jay Santiago on Thursday told reporters during an inspection of the container vans that consignees were possibly deliberately delaying the release of the rice imports in anticipation of higher market prices.

“We are thankful that the PPA has acted promptly on the information we provided and recognized the potential issue of hoarding of imported rice at Manila ports,” Laurel said.

“We respectfully urge the PPA to prioritize the movement of these rice stocks to help increase the supply of this essential food staple and potentially lower retail prices,” he added.

In a statement, the DA said the delayed release of the imported rice raised concerns over food security amid the inflation pressures the country faces.

“By facilitating the swift movement of these goods, the government aims to stabilize rice prices and ensure that consumers have access to affordable food options,” it added.

Laurel earlier said that as of September, only about 60,000 MT of rice had arrived. He said that among the factors contributing to the sluggish arrival of imported rice are port congestion and slow unloading.