DA seeks return to NFA Council to have more say in rice imports

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is seeking to re-assert its position in the National Food Authority (NFA) Council to have more say in rice importation, a proposal which it added President Rodrigo R. Duterte has approved.

“We have been shut out. I asked the President if it is possible for the department to have a say on the NFA Council. He said yes,” Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol told reporters Monday.

“My desire is that the Department of Agriculture is heard and that we have access to data so we know how much rice is to be imported and when, so our input is heard,” said Mr. Piñol adding that “We are in the dark” in regard to the country’s current rice buffer stock.

The DA is part of the interagency Food Security Committee which recommends to the council whether the country will need to import rice based on available supply data.

Mr. Piñol said that he will write a letter to the President to formalize his request.

He added that he disapproves of private-sector-led imports of rice, calling it ineffective in terms of maintaining buffer stocks and erodes the priority of locallyproduced rice.

“If it is our purpose to come up with a buffer stock, it won’t work if the private sector does the importing because what is commonly done, when the imported rice comes, it is restocked, re-bagged and sold on the market,” he said.

“It does not help consumers if the price of imported rice is the same as commercial rice,” he added.

Mr. Piñol also said the NFA’s procurement is insufficient.

In addition, the government is set to review the relevance of the NFA, including those of the three other agencies in terms of its purpose and performance.

“[ The President] directed [ Finance] Secretary [ Carlos G.] Dominguez [III] to head a group that will review the viability and relevance of these agencies in relation to these agencies to the food security program,” said Mr. Piñol.

Sought for comment, lawyer Maia Chiara Halmen Reina A. Valdez, undersecretary for the Off ice of the Cabinet Assistance System, welcomed the proposal of Mr. Piñol. In a text message, Ms. Valdez addded: “The council shares Secretary Piñol’s protectionist stance towards our farmers We want NFA to be our farmers’ first customer. The old mindset is that we are the buyer of last resort. If we could increase the support price [it would be] much better?” she added.

President Benigno S. C. Aquino III signed on May 5, 2014 Executive Order No. 165 which transferred the NFA along with the National Irrigation Administration; Philippine Coconut Authority; and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, to the Office of the President.

The DA was removed from the council at that point, which Mr. Piñol says violates Presidential Decree 1770, which gives the DA a seat on the council.