JAKARTA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is ready to tackle the soaring food prices by implementing a number of measures including the strengthening of its existing food security mechanism, said the head of the regional grouping here on Tuesday.
ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan said that besides overcoming the rising food prices, ASEAN would also ensure long-term adequacy of rice supply to prevent any adverse impact on its economies. He said the ASEAN region, as a net exporter of several food commodities, had sufficient amount of food supply for its people and the world's. The ASEAN chief said the region had more than enough rice, sugar, and several oil-seed production to feed the region and to meet the growing regional as well as global demand. Data from the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS) showed that total ASEAN production of paddy had increased steadily from 120.7 million tons in 1993 to 178.8 million tons in 2006. The region's exports of rice also played an important role in the world market, accounting for almost 50 percent of the total global exports, based on the 2006/2007 production year. "If we manage our food production, processing, storage and distribution well we can also help relieve the world's anxiety and pressure by sharing our food surpluses with other regions," Antara news agency quoted Pitsuwan as saying. He said ASEAN currently has existing mechanisms that are directly related to food security in the region, including the ASEAN Food Security Reserve (AFSR) and the East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve (EAERR) comprising the ASEAN plus Three Countries of China, Japan and Korea. In addition, an information network on food security among these countries has been established through the ASEAN Food Security Information System (AFSIS). He said both short-term and long-term measures have to be implemented to stabilize market prices and maintain proper levels for rice stocks that are beneficial for both producers and consumers. High food prices had already caused concerns in ASEAN, particularly in rice-importing countries such as Indonesia and the Philippines, he said.