Philippines bans farmland conversion
Updated
The Philippines has announced a ban on converting farmland to other uses, in the latest government move to cut imports of rice.
The ban is aimed at property developers who have been cashing in on a booming property market by snapping up choice farmland.
The Agrarian Department says the ban is indefinite and takes effect immediately.
The Philippines, made up of more than 7,000 mountainous islands, has struggled to grow enough rice for its rapidly growing population, now estimated at 90 million.
