Guv: Rice tariffication is anti- farmer, pro- importer

NEGROS Occidental Governor Alfredo Marañon Jr. yesterday said the recently-signed rice tariffication law is anti- farmer and pro- importer.

Marañon said that in order to compete with imported rice, local farmers should strive for better productivity. “Production costs for imported rice are not that high because foreign farmers have the support of their respective government. While here, we lack such support from the government,” he pointed out.

Though, the governor said the province has has been striving to be rice sufficient.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) reported that the province was about 93 percent rice sufficient in 2017, he recalled.

On February 15, President Rodrigo Duterte has signed into law the measure lifting restrictions on rice importation.

Under the rice tariffication bill, quantitative restrictions on rice importation are lifted and private traders are allowed to import the commodity from countries of their choice.

OPA has recognized the need to prepare local farmers on the possible adverse effects of the measure.

It is pushing for reducing production cost and increasing productivity through various measures like mechanization, more credit support, and timely provision of quality seeds, among others.*