THE increase in the price of rice was caused by tight supply, a former agriculture secretary said Wednesday.

'The situation now is a bit serious because we are now in the lean month period [July-September]. As of August 1, the Department of Agriculture (DA) told us that our national rice supplies that are in the possession of the traders, farmers and the government, through the National Food Authority (NFA)... these supplies were down to 39 days,' former agriculture secretary and Federation of Free Farmers Chairman Leonardo Montemayor told The Manila Times, noting the issue is compounded by the price increase of imported rice.