More interventions for farmers affected by rice tariffication

FILE: William Dar speaks in Nueva Vizcaya (PIA NV Photo)

MANILA – Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William Dar on Tuesday assured more interventions would be given to farmers affected by the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL).

To ensure the proper and efficient implementation of the RTL, Dar said the DA is committed to fast-track the various components and interventions under the PHP10-billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

“We have started the RCEF seed distribution, conduct trainings, bidding for machinery, alongside the validation of farmers’ cooperatives, and processing and granting of loans,” Dar said in his first 100 days report since he assumed office.

Dar said implementing the RTL is both a “challenge and an opportunity to transform our traditional rice lands into modern farming communities through the annual PHP10-billion resources that RCEF provides.”

He said this year’s RCEF has been allocated to make rice farmers more competitive and to prop up prices of palay, which has dropped to 1.4 percent in the third week of September to PHP15.96 per kilogram, based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data.

The DA chief said President Rodrigo Duterte also approved the granting of PHP3 billion as unconditional cash assistance to benefit 600,000 rice farmers tilling one hectare and below.

Dar said additional PHP3-billion cash assistance will be allotted next year for rice farmers tilling 1.01 hectares to two hectares.

Another PHP2.5 billion was also allocated for the expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance (SURE) Aid Program wherein PHP15,000 zero-interest loan payable in eight years will be available to affected farmers tilling one hectare or less.

The National Food Authority (NFA) was also given PHP7-billion budget to buy palay directly from the farmers, of which some 10.25 million bags were procured.

In partnership with provincial government units, governors of the top 33 rice-producing provinces have committed an initial PHP5 billion to procure palay from their farmers, and dry and mill the grains into rice, and sell them directly to their constituents and institutional buyers.

Dar said the amount is on top of the PHP3.5 billion credit line the local governments of Isabela, Nueva Ecija, and Camarines Sur have secured from the Land Bank of the Philippines to bankroll palay procurement and related rice industry chain initiatives.

On the issue of rampant rice smuggling, Dar said they are conducting investigations together with concerned government agencies, which include the possible collusion between DA personnel and traders.

“May kutsabahan, meron kaming iniimbestigahan, even our men and women sa department, nagkukutsabahan so nakakalusot (There is collusion. We are investigating our own men and women in the department, they are in collusion [with traders] so [smuggled items] slip past authorities),” he said.

Dar said the DA is working with authorities to resolve the “huge” illegal entry of imported rice.

“Maraming dumating na imported na bigas na walang import clearance or used recycled clearance kaya kinumpiska ang mga ito ng Bureau of Customs (A huge volume of imported rice arrived in the country but without import clearance or have used recycled clearance so these were confiscated by the Bureau of Customs),” he said.

Dar said the smuggled rice is not included in the 2.9 MMT of imported rice recorded entered the country from January to October 30 this year.

Despite the challenges, Dar committed to pursuing imperatives with greater vigor and “laser-like” focus to enable Filipino farmers and fishers to be more prosperous and transform them into agri-preneurs.

“Truth be told, the first 100 days have not been easy. {But) we have made a strong beginning, we have only just begun,” he said.