THE Department of Agriculture (DA) stayed bullish to achieve its national rice production target of 20 million metric tons (MMT) despite the impact of El Niño, citing latest reports of rice output increases in major rice-producing provinces.

At the Rice Traders Forum’s press conference on Monday, DA Assistant Secretary Andrew Villacorta said the expected damage and losses on rice due to El Niño would only be at 0.96 percent or about 190,000 metric tons of palay (unmilled rice).