Palace moves to boost farm supply

MALACAÑANG has issued four orders, all dated Sept. 21, to help improve supply of agricultural products in the market.

Administrative Order No. 13 directed the National Food Authority (NFA), the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) — in coordination with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) — to lift non-tariff barriers and streamline administrative procedures in the importation of such products.

Among others, the agencies were told to streamline procedures and requirements in accreditation of importers; minimize processing time for approval of applications for imports; exempt traders that are already accredited from registration requirements; facilitate importation of select farm products beyond their authorized minimum access volume (MAV) by reducing or removing fees involved; liberalize issuance of permits and accreditation of traders who want to import rice and, when necessary, temporarily allow direct importation of sugar-using industries to cut their input cost.

The order also authorizes the NFA Council “to approve additional rice importation beyond the MAV commitment… for allocation to the private sector”; DA to allow importation of more fish “to augment the 17,000 metric tons (MT)… already being distributed in the market”; the

Bureau of Customs to prioritize unloading and release of farm products; DA and DTI to “take concrete steps to improve logistics, transport, distribution and storage of agricultural products” and for DTI, NFA,the National Bureau of Investigation and the Philippine National Police (PNP) — with private sector assistance — to form surveillance teams to monitor importation and distribution of farm products to warehouses and retail outlets.

Memorandum Order No. 28 directs the NFA “to immediately release to markets approximately 230,000 MT of rice currently in stock in its warehouses across the country” and “the 100,000 MT… previously contracted to be delivered” by the end of this month.

In a phone interview, NFA Spokesman Rex C. Estoperez said the country will be bringing in 750,000 MT next quarter. “May mga stocks pa naman ang NFA, so pag dating ng imports (NFA still has stocks, so when the imports arrive), hopefully we can influence the price of the market.”

Memorandum Order No 26 directs DA and DTI to take steps to reduce the gap between farmgate and retail prices, “including the setting up of public outlets and cold storage [facilities] where producers of agricultural commodities, as well as poultry producers, can sell directly to customers”.

In a mobile phone message, Trade Secretary Ramon M. Lopez said such measures include “arrangements that will lead to more direct supply of goods from producers to market: NFA rice in supermarkets on top of NFA retail stores in public markets; DTI, DA, and NFA will open up outlets in community centers in LGUs (local areas) to directly connect producers to sellers; and expand SRP (suggested retail price) system for select basic agricultural products to manage better the margins of traders and retailers.”

Finally, Memorandum No. 27 directs DA, the Department of Interior and Local Government, the PNP and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority to take steps “to ensure efficient, seamless delivery of imported agriculture and fishery products from ports to markets”, including designation of food lanes along roads for trucks transporting agricultural products.