AT LEAST two tablespoons of rice are wasted daily by Filipinos, costing the country P7 billion a year, an office under the Department of Agriculture said on Thursday.

At a Palace briefing, Philippine Rice Research Institute deputy executive director for development Karen Eloisa Barroga said the amount of rice wasted each year is enough to feed 2.5 million people.

PhilRice urges the public to get rice that they can only eat in order to prevent waste.

”Ano po bang napapansin natin kapag may fiesta? Marami kasi iyong ‘takaw-mata’. So actually the campaign says, get only what you need,” said Hazel Antonio, PhilRice development communication division head.

The agency also supports the passage of a law that would mandate restaurants and other food establishments to offer half a cup of rice.

”Mas maganda kung national iyong law para at least kahit saan ka man pumunta, alam mo na dapat magsi-serve sila ng half. And ito naman po ay in consultation with the businesses din, noong trinay namin sa mga provinces and cities, and okay naman sa kanila as long as wala naman daw cost,” Antonio said.

PhilRice also appealed to the public to buy locally produced rice to help the farmers increase their income.

”We’re encouraging every consumer to buy their products kasi isa din sa mga goals ng DA specifically ng PhilRice ay tulungan iyong ating mga farmers to market their products as milled rice instead na ibenta nila as fresh palay sa farmgate,” Antonio said.

”Kasi iyon ‘yung isa sa mga reasons kung bakit mababa iyong income nila. So, 49% lang noong consumer prices iyong nakukuha nila and mababa iyong income dahil doon. So kung binibili natin iyong bigas ng P50, nakukuha nila less than P25 and babawasan pa iyan ng inputs nila so halos wala nang natitira. So, kaya ini-encourage namin sila to sell milled rice,” she added.

Every November, the Philippines celebrates National Rice Awareness Month in an effort to increase public knowledge of rice, combat poverty and malnutrition, and move toward rice self-sufficiency.