Dar defends Rice Tariffication Law ahead of farmers’ protest

Agriculture Secretary Wiliam Dar on Tuesday defended the Rice Tariffication Act ahead of farmers' groups' scheduled protest action at the Department of Agriculture on Wednesday to call for the repeal of the law.

“Karapatan lahat ng individual o grupo man ng mga magsasaka. Meron silang rason siguro. But ako ay nakikiusap naman na they have to appreciate the whole environment, na ito, yung [Rice Tariffication Law], dapat nangyari na 21, 22 years ago,” Dar said.

He added that the government has programs to help farmers increase their productivity and competitiveness, such as programs to bring down the cost of input like fertilizers and pesticides, build more farm-to-market roads, make irrigation systems more efficient, and diversify crops.

“There are rice production areas na hindi akma sa rice production na puwedeng tulungan sila dito sa crop diversification program,” Dar said.

He added that the National Food Authority is also buying palay from farmers affected by decreasing farmgate prices.

“Palay prices going down. 'Yun palagi ang number one na feedback sa kanayunan. So we said where NFA can buy and if they have the facilities, they will be moving around and buy at palay support prices. Nakita naman ninyo, talagang bumagsak ang presyo ng palay nitong October,” Dar said.

The Rice Tariffication Law removed quantitative restrictions on rice importation, which flooded the market with imported rice and brought down farmgate prices of local farmers' palay.

According to data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, palay prices have fallen to their lowest in eight years, with a 27% year-on-year drop in farmgate prices to P15.35 per kilo across the country as of October 25.

President Rodrigo Duterte last week said he has ordered a stop to rice importation, but on Monday Malacañang said that the order has not yet been given to the DA.

The DA said it cannot stop the importation without an amendment to the law or a formal directive from the President.  — BM, GMA News