SANTIAGO CITY, Isabela—The Southern Isabela Chapter of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has expressed support to the Department of Agriculture’s moves against rice importation.
Gary Chong, feed miller and PCCI-SIC president, said the chamber is supporting Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol’s position because the untimely rice importation would send palay farm gate prices plummeting once imported rice comes in during peak harvest season.
In a Facebook-posted statement, Piñol said he is against any form of rice importation, whether government to government or importation through the private sector.
He said there is no need to import rice because of the increased national average yield of local farmers.
Chong said Regions 1, 2, 3, Davao and Mindoro is expected to exceed the rice production target considering the national average yield per hectare is now at 4.15 metric tons per harvest, up from 3.9 metric tons.
“It is only rice millers and traders that would make lots of profit over rice importation, while farmers and the National Food Authority would lose money over the rice deal, especially here in Cagayan Valley where our farmers are expected to wrap up the wet harvest season,” Chong said.
He said they have nothing against the NFA importing rice to replenish their stock, especially for the lean months of June to September, and for the calamity prone areas because by October, the wet crop would begin.
“We all know that palay stock is not controlled by the NFA but the private sector buying at P22 for clean and dry, and NFA had no way of competing with the private sector right now,” Chong said.
He said it is very important to conduct actual inventory on palay stock in the region and the whole country before the rice cartel starts hoarding them in their various granaries.
He also noted the NFA had no exact data on rice millers’ total number of warehouses and granaries that these unscrupulous businessmen own or lease to serve as hoarding area for their stockpiles.
Chong said the previous NFA administration had no accurate data on the total palay stock in the private sector but only estimates, and the Philippine Statistics Authority had no correct data either to enlighten the food watchdog because rice millers don’t declare their actual stock to the NFA and the Bureau of Internal Revenue.
He said there should be first a massive nationwide inventory on actual palay stocks so that the NFA can determine if it is beneficial to the Filipino people to proceed with importation of the staple or not.
“Our concern for the moment is for our common farmer attain highest farm gate prices offered by traders so that their previous loses could be regained,” Chong added.
Meanwhile, an NFA official who requested anonymity said the surplus harvest of Region 2 is enough to feed the entire region through the lean months until the October harvest starts.
“That is why if the rice importation will push through, we will decline to receive any portion because we have sufficient stocks. If there is any rice shortage, NFA could mandate the rice flow after an inventory on rice millers’ total stocks but an executive order of the President would be needed,” said the NFA official, who was not authorized to discuss the issue.