FOUR weeks into the implementation of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), agriculture stakeholders continue to appeal for adjustments in the government’s food security programs.
The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) has urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to manage rice imports while encouraging farmers to expand their production.
FFF fears the country may end up with a surplus of over a million tons this year which would squeeze palay prices if the DA does not carefully calibrate the entry of imports.
While the DA said rice imports would only be limited to 7 percent of this year’s total local requirements that is expected to reach a total 14.46 million metric tons (MT), the fact remains qualified traders can seek import permits.
“(Agriculture) secretary (William) Dar just recently announced import sanitary permits have been issued for 1.8 million tons of rice and that the DA is now interceding with exporting countries like Vietnam to honor their supply contracts for these imports. He added the government itself is planning to import another 300,000 MT. If all these imports come in, we would end up with a surplus of over a million tons in 2020. This glut will inevitably lead to a fall in palay prices and end up penalizing the very rice farmers that the DA wanted to support,” said Raul Montemayor, FFF national manager.
Montemayor said the DA must review the cost-efficiency of its interventions under the proposed P8.5-billion rice resiliency program as its cost may only outweigh the benefits to local farmers.
“The figures indicate that the DA will end up spending P9.80 for every additional kilo that will be produced under the new program. In comparison, the regular rice program will spend only P1.35 for every kilo of output. If the DA is able to find more cost-effective ways to increase local production, it can provide support to more farmers and to a larger area without any additional cost to the government,” Montemayor said.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Seed Industry Association (PSIA) warns of a possible food shortage if local government units (LGUs) continue to block the transport of seeds and other agricultural products despite the guidelines issued by the DA and the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.
“As seed is the starting point of the food system, unrestricted movement of seeds is critical to food security…To ensure food production will continue, all seed production, processing and distribution activities should be exempted from any ban,” said Mary Ann Sayoc, PSIA president.
Seeds need to be planted this month or before the rainy season starts. The main season for planting vegetables runs from October to April when the weather is usually dry.
“If farmers do not get their seeds in time for the planting season, this will lead to food and feed shortages which we cannot afford during these trying times. PSIA member-companies are still experiencing difficulties in transporting agricultural commodities and in the movement of necessary farm manpower since some LGUs have implemented their own strict community quarantine and checkpoint policies that are not consistent with the IATF,” Sayoc said.
The DA will distribute a P5,000 cash subsidy to 600,000 rice farmers to help augment their needs amid the ECQ.
“Our rice farmers will receive it as a direct cash transfer that they can use to buy either farm inputs, food for their families or anything they need,” Dar said.
The DA through the Land Bank of the Philippines will start distributing the cash subsidy this week.
An earlier batch of 600,000 farmers, tilling up to two hectares, continues to receive P5,000 each from the agency.
