CONTEMPORARY WORLD
Sandra, Bataller
Medrano, Lyca S.
Year/Section: BTLED- HE 1st year
“ Imports Continuing impact on PH farmers: Like dislocating the kneecaps. “
I. Background of the Issue
All filipino farmers have high production of palay, but they are not giving a
chance to have an assurance to have main source of their hardship of rice
importation. The results revealed the common problems encountered by
palay farmers were high cost of inputs, low price of palay, lack of capital,
labor problem, lack of postharvest facilities.
The Philippines is experiencing an unsual problem. One of them is
Tarrification law. Recently, President Duterte signed that will resolve the rice
economy and it's local farmers and rice shortage by using rice importation as
a solution. Many months has passed by, farmers are slowly suffering since
rice importation has started. All of the efforts has done by the farmers are put
to waste because what happens is they end up supporting other countries
from farmers while the other, go hungry and slowly losing the livelihood of the
farmers.
Duterte says government should buy palay from local farmers at
reasonable price. So that the farmers has no longer to suffer and gives justice
about their rights and hard works as a farmer. The rice Tarrification law
supposedly ensure food security by liberalizing rice imports and making
farming globally competitive, However Filipino farmers see it as a farmers
livelihood. The uncontrolled rice imports will displace rice farmers and the
continuing increase of price, high production and low of paybacks to filipino
farmers will not good enough and need to be given a solution.
II. Analysis/ Reaction
Point1.
In a rice production Costs the PSA or Philippine Statistics Constitution
Authority having a cost per hectare of rice production 2020 and lost per
hectare of rice production current which is high and it's possible that we will
even have nothing left for us since we also have debts to pay. That's why
were really asking the government for help, “ said vidal, but the FFF said was
it possible to farm gate prices to fall further, atleast P1 per kilogram in March,
April and May.
For losing income, with income percentage there’s a total of during dry
season 32% that start of rice tariff law 2019,During wet season 47% losing
income on 2019 while the total percentage income lost is 38% under 2018
levels. However FFF said rice imports 2021 were 2.98 million tons out of 40%
or 1.2 million tons when Philippines was having wets, main, harvest season
on October, November and December.
Point2
In 2019 Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act No. 11203 on the rice
Tarrification law, way of imported rice to reach the Philippines. Then Republic
Act No. 8178 or the agricultural Tariffication act 1996 instead of limiting rice
imports, private importers will have to pay 35 percent. Republic Act No. 11598
or cash assistance to filipino farmers Act provided tariffs excess of P10 billion
in a year. Cash transfer hit by Tariffication law.
Domestic production 20million tons of rice harvested by PH farmers in
2021,and tons of imported rice added to local supply in january 2022 is
262,000.However FFF says that one of three palay farmers will not get any
cash because republic act No. 11598 signed last year, “ only applies to
farmers tilling two hectares or less. But Vidal said reviewed again saying that
P10 billion excess could be given to (NFA) to purchase palay from local
government.
Point 3
Vidal said farmers have no choice but to sell their harvest even the price
is low, a P3 rise would help a lot. Saying that now their income per hectare
for four months is P20,000.The statement that the level of rice weighing
benefits losses was too high its tariff collected by the government from rice
imports in 2021 are 19 Billion while the estimated loose of farmers every year
is 60 Billion. Average of palay prices on October to December 2021 there are
P 16.65 July to September 2021, there are P16.44 while on October to
December 2020 is P18.39. Herminio Agsaluna told INQUIRER.net that the
distribution of farm need like seeds and fertilizer should take place way
before the time farmers needed them. This he said that the reason of DA
should be led by “real farmers” so that interventions would really help farmers.
III.
Conclusion
The farmers are suffering greatly, during a senate hearing on September 3, it
was stated that the P17 per kilo, farm gate palay price would give the farmer
P5 profit, assuring a P12 production cost. The conclusion is that rice farmer is
not suffering today. Not True even assuming a P12 production cost the
problem is that at the farm gate the palay of most farmers is wet not dry. Most
of the farmer therefore get P3 less than dry palay rice or P14. We constructed
the table from the PSA. We should note that the PSA sampling is from non
random selector and therefore does not represent the poor farmers.
The import’s continuing inpact on PH farmers:Like dislocating kneecaps
this issue pointing out about the concern of filipino farmers with regards of
suitable price for rice production that will also meet their needs.The kilusang
manbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) said its high time to be repealed.According to
Sen.Juan Miguel Zubiri the DA should cease importation during harvest
season for local farmers and I think that should be taken by action by the
government because it will led to bankrupcy by each Filipino farmers if they
lose capitals and still having a low payback for their hardships. The
department of agriculture should be led by Real Farmer so that the
interventions would really help farmers,especially those who has a heart and
who is ready to promote and fight their interest.
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