Board Member Maria Angela Sabando has asked the Provincial Economic Enterprise and Development Office (PEEDO) to undertake a palay-buying project that will help alleviate the plight of the farmers suffering from the effects of the rice tariffication law.
In a resolution, Sabando said palay prices in southern municipalities are only P7 which is lower compared to the buying prince in Roxas that ranges from P10 to P12 per kilo.
Sabando said the palay-buying project can be the provincial government’s intervention initiative to help Palawan farmers.
“We are requesting the PEEDO to create a palay-buying project for the meantime para matulungan ang ating mga magsasaka sa napakababang bilihan ng presyo ng palay. Sa Roxas medyo mataas pa kunti pero sa Rizal kung hindi ako nagkakamali ay P7 to P7.50 na lang. Sobrang baba talaga at hirap sila kasi halos wala ng kinikita,” she said.
She said the rice tariffication law only benefits the consumers due to the abundance of imported palay sources, but to the farmers, it is a problem because they compete with imported rice producers.
“Maganda ang rice tariffication sa mga consumers kasi marami tayong napagkukunan ng imported palay sa iba’t ibang ASEAN countries pero sa mga farmers ay tingin ko medyo magkakaroon ng problema sa kanilang paghahanapbuhay dahil competitor nila ang mga imported rice producers,” she said.
Her resolution was referred to the committee on agriculture.
