Philippines plans 300,000 tons rice import amid lockdown

Volunteers and government workers unload boxes of canned food to be distributed to families following the enhanced community quarantine aimed to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak in Manila on Monday (March 30). - AP

MANILA: The Philippines plans to import 300,000 metric tons of rice through state deals to boost supply amid the month-long lockdown due to the Covid-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles said on Monday (March 30).

The government will allot 31 billion pesos (US$608mil) for food sufficiency efforts, allow food companies to increase workers and let farming and fishing continue during the Luzon-wide quarantine, Nograles said in a video bulletin posted on Facebook.