Starting 2019

NO MORE NFA IMPORTATION;

PH FARMERS TO SUPPLY RICE

By Manny Piñol

When President Rody Duterte signs the Rice Tariffication and Liberalization Bill soon, the National Food Authority (NFA) will no longer be allowed to import rice for its buffer stocks.

Instead, the NFA will be focused on the procurement of palay produced by Filipino farmers.

This is a welcome development not only for the Filipino farmers but also for top officials of the Department of Agriculture and the NFA who advocate for a change in the image of the rice agency.

Through the years of its involvement in the rice importation program for buffer stocking, suspicions were rife that there were financial transactions involved where officials raked in money.

The very tight importation requirements also led to corruption even in the awarding of import permits.

On orders of President Duterte, the importation requirements were eased up allowing the private sector now to bring in rice with less hassle.

I have long advocated for local procurement even at a higher government support price because it assures our farmers of a market and stable income.

For us in the DA, who were not spared from intrigues in the highly profitable business of rice importation, this will be a welcome relief.

In 2019, the NFA has allocated P7-B for local palay procurement.