RICE TARIFFICATION LAW WREAKS HAVOC AGAINST THE LOCAL FARMERS

By Bayawanon

It is true that the RICE TARIFFICATION  LAW is lowering the prices of rice in the local market, hence it is now a big help to the consumers. But because of the flooding of foreign rice because of the RICE TARRIFICATION LAW, the local farmers' income is now affected since imported rice is now competing against their products.

The rice traders are now buying the local farmers' unhusked rice from Php 7.00 to Php 11.00 per kilo, thus making the local rice farmers doubting as to whether or not they would continue rice farming. Plenty of rice mills have temporarily ceased operations, because many farmers have not decided to mill their unhusked rice but instead stored the same for personal consumption.

It is true that the government may give subsidies to the rice farmers out of the tariffs from international rice exporters outside of the Philippines, but the question is this, will this really happen when everything in the rice production industry would all be in shambles?

As I have expected the RICE TARRIFICATION LAW would really wreak havoc against the local farmers because the same law withdraws regulatory powers to the NATIONAL FOOD AUTHORITY with regard to rice importation. It would clearly follow, that this law gives so many benefits to the rice exporters outside of the country and to the rice traders and gives burden to the local rice growers.

For the local rice growers to recover, Congress must amend this law, and for the same to push through, long and arduous debates shall be done first in the halls of the legislature. Secondly, if the old system would be reinstalled, the prices of well-milled rice would skyrocket anew and may affect the consuming public.

In connection to the foregoing problems with regard to the rice issue that I have discussed, Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, who is a non-agriculturist, must take proper steps to solve the enigma as regards to the crisis that she has done against the local rice farmers bypassing her infamous RICE TARRIFICATION LAW via correction of the same.