Farmers rally, tell NFA to stop flooding market with imported rice

By SHIELA MAE BUTLIG
Correspondent .

SOME 200 farmers and activists yesterday staged demonstration outside the National Food Authority in Baloy here to air their dismay over the Duterte administration’s move to import more rice so as to ensure a steady supply of rice in government warehouses and local markets.

Led by the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas in northern Mindanao and urban poor group Kadamay, demonstrators demanded that the government regulate if not, stop flooding local markets with imported rice.

Erineo Udarbe, KMP chairperson for northern Mindanao, called it an “intentional assault on hard-working peasants”  even as he pointed out that the harvest season is fast approaching.

Flooding the region with imported rice would push  the prices of locally produced rice down, he said.

Udarbe said the demonstrators have rejected claims of a rice shortage even as it accused the NFA of giving rice importers undue advantage at the expense of local farmers.

“Taas kaayo ang pagsaka sa commercial  nga bugas, halos muabot ug singko pesos ang pagsaka,” said Udarbe.

KMP also called on the Department of Trade and Industry or Malacanang to immediately order a halt to the importation of more rice.

“Walay shortage. Nagpadayon ug saka ang commercial rice kay walay control ang NFA niini,” Udarbe said.

He said NFA and the Department of Agriculture have agreed to allow more rice to be brought into the country, and this means “killing the local farmers.”

NFA regional manager Fernando Nunez met with the demonstrators and advised them to write a petition to the Senate’s agriculture committee.