A FarmERS’ group yesterday said there are at least three existing laws mandated to assist farmers in economic distress.
This is after the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Operations Center reported yesterday the initial cost of damage to the agriculture sector of severe tropical storm Karding topped P3.12 billion.
The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) in a statement said the Magna Carta of Small Farmers, the Price Act of 1992 and the Sagip Saka Act can be invoked in aiding farmers to avert the skyrocketing prices of rice and food.
KMP said Congress can also exercise its oversight functions in ensuring that these laws are being implemented in favor of farmers and consumers.
KMP said under the Magna Carta of Small Farmers Act, DA is mandated to establish a price support system and set farmgate prices for certain agricultural products, especially rice and corn.
It said the National Food Authority is also tasked to procure and purchase palay, corn, or other agricultural produce directly from small farmers or farmers’ organizations.
The group said that section 9 of the Price Act of 1992 directs the allocation of a buffer fund to procure, purchase, import or stockpile any basic necessity or prime commodity for sale at reasonable prices for consumers.
KMP said the Sagip Saka Act requires the national and local governments to purchase directly from farmers and fishermen and to do away with middlemen.
At present, DA said over P709 million worth of assistance and interventions are available to affected farmers and fisherfolk.
Of that, P500 million is in the form of a quick response fund that can be used for the immediate repair or rehabilitation of damaged production facilities; P170.34 million for rice seeds; P23.16 million for corn seeds; P13.55 million for vegetable seeds; P2.45-million worth of farm animals, drugs and biologics under its livestock and poultry programs as well as fingerlings and fishing paraphernalia from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.
DA said farmers and fisherfolk can also avail of loans up to P25,000 without interest and payable for three years through the Survival and Recovery Loan Program of the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.
The DA said as of 8 a.m. yesterday, Karding’s total cost of damage is equivalent to 158,117 metric tons of goods tended by 108,594 farmers and fisherfolk in 170,762 hectares (ha) of affected areas.
The current monitoring captured data from the Cordillera Administrative Region, Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Bicol and Western Visayas with current data still subject for additional validation.
Bulk of Karding’s recorded damage is from rice at P2.05 billion, followed by high value crops at P831.29 million, fisheries at P116.55 million, corn with P65.4 million, irrigation and agri facilities at P26.30 million, livestock and poultry at P12.86 million, farm machineries and equipment at P12.20 million, cassava at P1.47 million and abaca at P118,350.
