VISAYAS-WIDE RICE CONSULTATION HELD TO PREPARE THE FUTURE OF THE RICE INDUSTRY

ASEC Edilberto de Luna (inset) brief the rice stakeholders on the rice industry direction to prepare themselves on the termination of the QR on rice by 2017.

Some 150 rice stakeholders from Regions 6, 7 and 8 convene recently in Cebu for the Visayas-wide Rice Consultation to address issues besetting the present rice industry.

The consultation was the last series of consultations conducted by the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture and Fisheries (PCAF) to enhance the competitiveness, profitability and sustainability of the local rice industry, now that the quantitative restriction (QR) implemented by the country on rice imports is scheduled to end in June 2017.

The QR limits the volume of rice importation of the country to protect local rice farmers on the possible influx of cheap imported rice.

Assistance secretary Edilberto de Luna of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said there is a need for the rice industry to prepare for this eventful scenario. He said there's a need to craft the best programs and directions to attain competitiveness and self sufficiency in rice. Among the strategies include the increase in area harvested by restoring the irrigation facilities, adoption of high yielding varieties, provision of farm equipment and facilities and access to credit, among others.

Raul Montemayor of the Federation of Free Farmers said the QR is lifted in all agricultural products under the World Trade Organization (WTO) agreement. However, the Philippines had asked for an exemption of QR on rice imports. With the lifting of QR by 2017, there could now be a free trading.

Montemayor said what is left to protect and safeguards our local rice farmers is the 35% tariff on rice imported from ASEAN member countries. He said there is a possibility that the said tariff will still be lowered. He added that even though we will reach the rice self-sufficiency, there is still no assurance that the lives of our farmers will improve.

There are eight areas identified that will contribute to the competitiveness of the rice industry. These are seeds and other farm inputs, labor and mechanization and post harvest, irrigation, marketing, credit, farming system, organic farming and institutional arrangements.

The consultation was attended by representatives of the Department of Agriculture Regional Field Offices (RFOs), local government units, Regional and Provincial Agriculture and Fishery Council (RAFCs/PAFCs), rice farmer leaders/organizations, traders and millers, seed growers, input suppliers and civil society organizations. (RAFIS/C. Victoria)