SINAG supports declaration of food security emergency

Farmers group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) has expressed support for the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) planned declaration of a food security emergency, specifically for rice, as prices of the commodity remain high.

According to SINAG president Rosendo So, the declaration would bring down prices of rice which ranged from P40.00 to P59.77 per kilogram in Metro Manila as of January 11, based on the price monitoring of the DA.

“I think ‘yung declaring, ito is para at least yung NFA [National Food Authority] rice is pwedeng magbenta at lower price, no? Welcome development ‘yan at sinusuportahan namin para at least bumaba ‘yung presyo,” he said.

(I think declaring, this is at least, for the NFA rice to be brought down at a lower price, no? This is a welcome development and we support this so this will at least bring down prices.)

This comes as the National Price Coordinating Council approved a resolution urging the DA to declare a food security emergency for rice, as prices remain elevated.

So said the planned declaration will benefit not only consumers, but as well as farmers as the NFA will have to buy buffer stocks from them to replenish their supply once the current stocks are released to the public.

“Hindi naman lugi ‘yung magsasaka rito, at bibili sila [NFA] ng replacement for itong madidistribute sa LGU [local government unit],” So said in a report by Vonne Aquino on GMA’s “24 Oras Weekend” on Sunday.

(The farmers will not be shortchanged here. The NFA will buy for replacement of those that will be distributed to LGUs.)

The DA earlier said it expects to receive a copy of the resolution on Monday, January 20, and the declaration is expected by Wednesday, January 22, a timing which So supports given the upcoming harvest season in February.

“Kasi kung ma-implement ‘yan, more or less 10 days pa ‘yan, 10 to 15 days siguro, so tingin natin timing naman para ma-dispose ang mga ito,” he said in the same report.

(If this will be implemented, more or less this will still take 10 days, maybe 10 to 15 days, so we see this timing as enough for the stocks to be disposed of.)

For his part, DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said rice prices are expected to be brought down moving forward.

“‘Yung ibebenta natin na presyo ng NFA, sa ngayon ay P38 (per kilo) na ibinebenta ng NFA pero mayroong pagtatakdang pagpupulong o resolution na ibababa ‘yan sa P35 (per kilo), para maibenta sa P38 sa pamilihan,” he said in a separate interview on GMA Super Radyo DZBB.

“Mayroon din isa pang pagsusulong na ilagay sa P33 [per kilo] sa mga susunod na araw para ibenta ng LGU at P35 [per kilo],” he added.

(The NFA rice that we will sell is currently being sold at P38 per kilo, but there are planned resolutions to bring this down to P35 per kilo so that this can be sold at P38 per kilo at stores.

There is also another proposal to bring this down to P33 per kilo in the following days so the LGUs can sell this at P35 per kilo.)

The DA earlier this month announced a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) of P58 per kilo for premium imported rice, with the possibility of having this lowered by next month should global trends dictate any adjustments. — Jon Viktor D. Cabuenas/BM, GMA Integrated News