rice importation
Cheaper rice for now, but at what cost?
February 22, 2019
by Sonny Africa The government’s economic managers claim that the new Rice Tariffication Act which takes effect on March 5, 2019 will ensure the availability of cheaper rice for Filipino consumers. They also claim that the law will make Filipino rice farmers more competitive and profitable. Yet while rice from abroad could become cheaper for […]
Three things beyond rice tariffication
February 19, 2019
President Duterte has signed the Rice Tariffication Bill into law, which promises to reform Philippine agriculture. But until the government genuinely completes land reform and gives sufficient and substantial support to agriculture, the country’s staple and Filipino farmers remain at risk. The law removes quantitative restrictions or limits to rice importation. Any amount of rice […]
Real regulation and agri dev’t needed to solve rice woes — IBON
January 7, 2019
Research group IBON said that to truly resolve high rice prices and production concerns, the government should develop domestic rice production and ensure strict monitoring and regulation. With Pres. Duterte poised to sign the Rice Tariffication Bill into law, the group said that the measure is not the solution and only covers up government’s long-time […]
Rice tariffication will displace rice farmers, worsen food insecurity–IBON
November 22, 2018
Rice tariffication and uncontrolled rice imports will displace rice farmers and worsen food insecurity without solving the problem of expensive rice, research group IBON said. The government is using high inflation to justify rice sector liberalization according to long-standing demands of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and big foreign agricultural exporters. Domestic agriculture should be […]
Govt anti-inflation measures inadequate and anti-agriculture
October 2, 2018
Research group IBON said that the Duterte administration’s anti-inflation measures are reckless stop-gap measures that will ironically harm domestic agriculture, displace farmers and fisherfolk, and worsen food insecurity. The group also said that the government should use its vast authority to take much more decisive steps to reduce inflation. President Duterte issued Administrative Order (AO) […]
Rice tariffication to impoverish Filipino farmers more, Congress warned
August 4, 2018
Research group IBON raised concern over the current move by the House of Representatives (HOR) to lift the quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice imports and instead apply a 35% tariff on unlimited rice importation. This will practically decrease farmgate prices, said IBON, but not necessarily lower retail rice prices as government claims. Rice prices have […]
