Philippine government heightens efforts in protecting Filipino rice farmers against influx of cheap imported rice this coming summer harvest. Respectively, there are also efforts made to protect consumers as well.

As cited in the report of Philstar, “the Department of Agriculture will support National Food Authority (NFA in its procurement operations to ensure it will be able to buy enough stocks to stabilize supply and protect farmers from traders.

Piñol  discussed that “this is very critical because of NFA’s new role in the rice industry which limits its buffer stocking function to buying only locally produced paddy rice, instead of relying on importation.”

Reality of Rice Farmers

Further, despite of the added incentives given to rice farmers  for local Palay procurement given by NFA council, Piñol imparted that lack of drying facilities, delayed payments and the inability to bring their buying operations to the field, hound farmers’ development.

Significantly, it is the reality for Filipino farmers, not just for rice farmers that they suffer immensely from input cost and operational cost.

Efforts made by the PH Government

The Department of Agriculture will provide drying facilities in NFA. Thus, farmers can use the said facility for free and even with other facilities that will be used in processing.

As cited in Philstar’s report, NFA has a P7-billion budget for paddy rice procurement for the first harvest season.

“We will also provide  free machineries to farmers associations and cooperatives if they meet a set volume of rice delivered and sold to the NFA,” Piñol said.

Source: Government moves to protect farmers from influx of cheap rice imports