Enrile tells NFA: Look for solutions beyond rice importation

08 May 2011 04:44:34 PM

Writer: Office of Rep. Juan Ponce Enrile, Jr.

Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile urged the National Food Authority (NFA) to explore more sustainable programs to ensure that the
country has adequate supply of rice other than importing huge volumes.

This, as he cautioned the NFA against "raising the ante on rice shortage" to justify its plans to import an additional 300,000
metric tons of rice to meet the country's requirement for the staple this year.

"While importing rice at this time will ensure that we have an adequate supply of rice amid the global reduction in produce,
we should also look at the future and keep in mind that relying on imports is not a very sustainable - and cost-efficient - way
of meeting our people's consumption requirements," Enrile said.

Enrile also noted that NFA's announcement that it plans to import 300,000 metric tons of rice runs counter to Agriculture
Secretary Proceso Alcala's earlier pronouncement that there will be no additional rice importation to meet the country’s
requirements for the year citing good harvest.

"NFA should be careful in raising the ante on rice shortage because only Agriculture Secretary can determine and initiate
such policy pronouncements," Enrile said.

The lawmaker stressed that instead of relying on imports for the country's rice requirements, the government should allocate
more funds to support the local agricultural sector - with more going to "agricultural activities whose produce are intended
for local consumption."

"The government should strongly pursue programs that focus on reclaiming our strengths in the agricultural sector and
reduce - if not eliminate - our dependence on rice imports... As a policy, the government should prioritize meeting the food
requirements of Filipinos first," he said.

He also urged the Department of Agriculture to come up with "a Food Requirement Plan for Filipinos, ensuring that all
Filipinos are able to eat from what is locally produced first before exporting our produce to the international market."

The lawmaker argued that with a Food Requirement Plan in place, the DA through the NFA will be able to better plan
which province should produce what; enhance its competitiveness through infrastructure support; monitor, distribute and
market the produce; and identify gaps in terms of the food requirement per province.

Enrile also reiterated his position that the government should put more focus on efforts to regain the country's
competitiveness in agricultural production and aggressively pursue programs that aim to prioritize agricultural infrastructure
support; ensure access to low-interest credit to farmers, fisherfolk and farm workers; and remove all subsidies on export-
oriented agriculture and transfer subsidies to grains and vegetable farmers.

Likewise, Enrile said the government should launch an effective and strong campaign against smuggling and dumping of
food and agri-based products and commodities that could be supplied by our own producers.

He also proposed better support for agricultural research; the strengthening of NFA as a state trading enterprise that protects
farmers and fisherfolks and their produce from predatory elements; and to break all land monopolies as government
implements the last phase of land reform and use of these lands for the country.s needs.