Piñol wants to ban ‘fancy rice’ importation

On the heels of the return of the National Food Authority (NFA) under the Department Agriculture (DA), Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said Thursday he will propose a ban on importing fancy rice next year in a bid to temper the increasing prices of the commodity in the country.

"Isa sa pinakaimportanteng mungkahing ilalatag ko next year, bawal na, hindi na mag-iimport ng fancy rice. Lahat ng import natin next year ay ordinary rice," Piñol said in an interview on GMA News TV's News to Go.

The Agriculture chief said he will bring up the proposal during the NFA Council meeting as its chair on Monday, September 24.

President Rodrigo Duterte issued Executive Order No. 62 on September 17, which transferred the NFA, Philippine Coconut Authority, and the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority back to the DA from the Office of the President. 

The EO also reorganized the rice importation policy-setting body NFA Council, making the Secretary of Agriculture as chairman and the NFA administrator as vice chairman.

Piñol said that the imported fancy rice is contributing to the increase in prices, instead of bringing the prices lower.

"Ang bentahan nasa P55-P58 per kilo... Instead of this imported rice being brought in bringing down the price, ito pa ngayon ang nagse-set ng trend sa pricing kaya tumataas ang presyo ng bigas," he said.

The Agriculture chief said the only way to bring down the prices of rice is to flood the market with a cheaper variety.

"Kahapon nagpulong kami ni Pangulong Duterte, sabi niya kung may pera pa ang NFA, punuin mo ang bodega kasi ayaw niyang mangyari ang nangyari in the past na naubusan ang NFA, nadelay ang importation kaya nagtaasan ang presyo ng bigas," Piñol said.

"I have the green light of the President to make sure we will be able to neutralize ung mataas na presyo ng bigas," he added. — Ted Cordero/RSJ, GMA News