Rice importation not necessary, group says

Rice importation by the government is unnecessary since harvest season has already started in the country, according to Bantay Bigas.

“The Duterte government should instead prioritize local palay procurement and uphold the National Food Authority’s mandate to procure 10 percent of the total rice production. Importation should only be done to fill up rice supply shortage, especially during calamities,” Bantay Bigas spokesperson Cathy Estavillo said.

The group said local rice production based on the Philippine Statistics Authority show there is no rice shortage, as rice output in the first quarter is expected to rise by 2.6 percent to 4.53 metric tons (MT) from 4.419 MT last year.

“The government’s rice policy clearly reflects how the Duterte government is following the neoliberal dictates even at the expense of our local rice industry,” Estavillo said.

She added, “Boosting the buffer stock through our local produce is a faster method of stabilizing rice prices in the market.”

Estavillo stressed, “The country’s food security should not be dependent on other countries; instead, the local rice industry should be strengthened through provision of appropriate support services and subsidies to local rice farmers, implementation of a genuine agrarian reform and protection from liberalization of agriculture.”