MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte is hoping to get a “happy” compromise with farmers amid concerns that the influx of imported rice will hurt the local industry.
Speaking at a road inauguration in Candon City, Ilocos Sur on Thursday, Duterte vowed that no importation will be allowed during harvest time.
“Ayaw ko. That’s what I said. Ubusin mo muna bilhin, kung mahal magpalugi na lang tayo kaysa magbili tayo. Then ang tradeoff niyan, ang drawback, is mag sama ang loob ng mga farmers,” he said.
“Hindi lang dito, both Visayas and Mindanao. So there has to be a compromise there that during the harvest season or the coming of the harvest season, your reserve will be used then you start to buy. Pagka mahal, bilhin mo na.”
Duterte signed the Rice Tarrification Law last February which allows unlimited importation of rice as long as private sector traders secure a phytosanitary permit from the Bureau of Plant Industry and pay the 35 percent tariff for shipments from neighbors in Southeast Asia.
Safety nets were included in the law including a comprehensive assistance program worth P10 billion a year for the next six years.
The Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) would be used to provide key interventions to support farmers and enhance their competitiveness and profitability, including farm machinery and equipment to improve farm operations, rice seed development, propagation, and promotion, expanded rice credit, and extension services.
A portion of the rice tariff revenues in excess of P10 billion would meanwhile be used to provide direct financial assistance to rice farmers affected by the removal of the quantitative restriction and for diversification to high-value crops.
The continuing slower inflation environment was partly attributed to the implementation of the law which aims to make market rice prices affordable.
In June, the inflation rate slowed to its slowest in 21 months at 2.7 percent. (GMA News)
