Now, they’re starving! Haiti Swamps Market With Imports, Kills Agri

Last night, my son, Bernhart Immanuel, sent me a link to a Reuters report posted last year on hunger stalking Haiti because its government allowed imported goods to flood the market killing its local food production program.

“Papa, ito yong ipinaglalaban mo na hwag gawin, di ba?,” Imman asked me.

Imman made me happy as a father knowing that my son understands my advocacy on local food suffiency and security even at a young age.

Indeed, the lessons of Haiti should be shared so that we will avoid falling into the same pit because of a myopic economic mindset.

Let me clarify: I am not against importation of the basic commodities which our consumers need.

What I am standing up against is the idea of flooding the market with excess goods just to bring down the price.

Worse, what is being dumped in our market are products the consumers of exporting countries do not need, as in the case of imported chicken cuts.

Just like what happened in Haiti, it will discourage local food producers.

When that happens, we will face the risk of experiencing what Haiti is going through now.

Let me repeat my position: Let us allow importation only to a level where we fill up the supply gap.

We have to safeguard the interests of our local food producers.

Contrary to the claims of the Neo-Liberal Economists, that is not protectionism.

It is simply common sense!

#GovernanceIsCommonSense !