(Photo grabbed from web)
CABANATUAN CITY – The price of commercial rice in Central Luzon has slightly decreased both in retail and wholesale this year amid the enactment of the controversial Rice Tariffication Law, according to the National Food Authority (NFA) regional head.
Addressing a conference of various progressive farmers organizations here Wednesday, NFA Region 3 director Piolito Santos said that the average retail price of regular milled rice (RMR) in Central Luzon this year is P35.43 a kilo while the well milled rice (WMR) is P38.93 a kilo, which are a bit lower than the P41.50 and P43.64 a kilo, respectively in 2018.
For wholesale, RMR was placed at P31.75 a kilo and WMR at P34.50 a kilo.
Palay (unhusked rice) however, recorded a drastic rise at P12.15 to P16.36 a kilo as of August 28, 2019 as against the P19.50 to P24.71 in August 28 last year, based on the comparative ex farm price presented by Santos to the farmers. By classification, fit was the fresh palay sold at P12.50, skln dry, P14.51 and the clean and dry P16.36 which are a far cry from last year’s P19.50 for fresh, skin dry, P21.29 and clean and dry, P24.71.
It was also disclosed that palay is sold at the highest price in Bulacan at P18.25 a kilo of clean and dry, followed by Zambales, P18 ; Bataan, P17; Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, P16; Pampanga, P15, and lowest in Aurora at P14.30 a kilo.
Meanwhile, the farmers pressed for the repeal of the law saying the measure which imposes tariff of 35-50 percent on imported rice is against the interest of the agriculture sector and favor only traders and importers.
Eduardo Mora, chair of the Pampansang Kaisahan ng Magbubukid sa Pilipinas (PKMP), branded the P10-billion rice competitiveness enhancement fund (RCEF) as an “icing on the cake” to lure farmers into accepting the law. “Sa totoo ay walang silbi ang RCEF na ‘yan,” he said.
Narciso Agustin, of Aniban ng mga Magsasaka, Mangingisda at Manggagawang Bukid (AMMMB), urged farmers to stop selling palay. “Magtanim na lang tayo ng para sa sarili nating konsumo hanggang maintindihan ng mga opisyales ng gobyerno ang pahirap sa atin ng batas na ito,” he said.
Earlier, Rep. Rosanna Vergara (3rd district, Nueva Ecija) called on legislators to work together to address the concerns of farmers who fall prey to unscrupulous individuals. “ Baguhin natin ang ‘di makatarungang sistema na pumapatay sa kanilang kabuhayan, bigyan natin ng prayoridad ang bigas na galing sa ating sariling lupa,” Vergara said in a privilege speech.
“Hindi man natin mapipigil ang pagpasok ng imported na bigas, bilang tugon, maglaan tayo sa Kongreso ng pondo para ang ating gobyerno ang siyang bumili ng palay sa ating mga magsasaka sa tamang presyo. Tangkilikin natin ang sariling atin. Ang doktor ay kailangan lamang natin kapag tayo’y may sakit, ang abogado kapag mayroon tayong habla—subalit ang magsasaka ay ating katuwang sa pang araw-araw na buhay. Tulungan natin ang mga tahimik, mga tunay na bayani ng Pilipinas! Mabuhay ang magsasakang Pilipino!” she said.
