Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson and farmers in Negros Occidental on Wednesday, August 6, welcomed President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s 60-day rice importation ban.
The temporary suspension of rice importation that starts September 1 is being implemented to protect Filipino farmers at the peak harvest season, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said.
Laurel stressed the need for a “balanced” measure to ensure that local palay (unhusked rice) producers secure a reasonable income for farmers, while maintaining affordable retail rice prices for consumers.
Governor Lacson said the order is intended to protect local farmers because the buying price of palay has dropped.
“I am in favor (of the ban) because the president prioritized the farmers over the traders,” he said.
“If the price of rice gets expensive, I expect importation will come back. The right level of pricing is being sought where the farmers are happy and the rice is not too expensive for consumers,” Lacson said.
Rice farmers in Negros Occidental also hope the president’s order will enable them to fetch better prices for their palay.
Pedro Limpangog, president of the Federation of Irrigators Association – Central Negros – Bago River Irrigation System, said the current price of palay is only P14 to P15 per kilo.
Limpangog noted that with farmers’ capital at P13 per kilo, they are barely able to recover their production costs.
The president has ordered a purchase price for palay of P18 per kilo, but Limpangog said it would be better if the farmgate prices for fresh palay were at P20 to P30 per kilo so farmers could truly recover.
They are calling for measures to improve the price of palay without affecting the price of rice for consumers, Limpangog said.
Limpangog also said they are calling for support for House Bill No. 1, or the Rice Industry and Consumer Empowerment Act, which was filed by Speaker Martin Romualdez.
One of its objectives is to restore the regulatory powers of the National Food Authority to intervene in the rice market and prohibit hoarding, profiteering, and price manipulation, thereby correcting the shortcomings of the Rice Tarrification Law.
The farmers are calling on Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District) and others to support the measure, Limpangog said.*