PH Farmer Leaders, How Does It Feel Now That Competitiveness Is Breathing Down The Necks Of Our Farmers, Including Yours!?

Almost if not everyday on Facebook I see a farmer leader or group complaining about the low price of palay being paid to farmers, or sharing signs like "Justice For Our Farmers" or "Support Our Farmers." They are all referring to the very low price(s) of palay paid to farmers. 

PH farmer leaders, whoever you are, please stop the blame game and start supporting the new Department of Agriculture, DA, under Secretary of Agriculture William Dar/Manong Willie, which is helping your old-practice farmers!

The Rice Tariffication Law, RTL, is there, and we cannot help it. It is required by PH membership with the World Trade Organization, WTO. PH had to pass the RTL, a DA advisory tells us, "to abide by its international trade agreement obligation in order to spare it from being economically-sanctioned by its trading partners." In fact, the advisory tells us, PH had a grace period of 20 years, up to 2014, before the enactment of the RTL. In those 20 years, the advisory asks: "Did we do our homework of improving the production efficiency of palay farmers?" The advisory answers: "Unfortunately, we did not!" (interjection mine)

So now we have to do our homework of improving the production efficiency of palay farmers!

That is how to look at the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program, RCEP, the funds for which come from the implementation of the RTL. Writing in his Manila Times column, here is Manong Willie on the subject (10 October 2019, "Rice Industry Competitiveness Is Attainable," 1st of 2 parts, manilatimes.net):

I do not understand the criticisms hurled against RTL and RCEP, because without both, smallholder rice farmers face very tough competition from rice imports, especially those from Thailand and Vietnam. The production cost of palay (unmilled rice) in the Philippines currently stands a P12.72 per kilo, which is higher compared to Thailand's P8.86 and Vietnam's P6.22.

Note: In the words of Manong Willie, PH rice faces "very tough competition from rice imports" – PH cost of production per kilo is 69% higher than that of Thailand, and 100% higher than Vietnam.

The PH leadership in agriculture has been failing the farmers since 25 years ago – too late to blame the unhero!

So, farmer leaders and other complainers, if you want to do justice to farmers, if you want to support them – help them cut down their costs of production per kilo by at least 50% to become competitive.

And how do you do that? Instruct your farmers to cooperate with the new DA!

Do you have questions about funding? Manong Willie says the RCEP has a budget allocation of P3 billion annually. Thus, the total budget for the RCEP in the next 6 years is P60 billion.

So we look specifically at PhilRice. Manong Willie says:

PhilRice released in September 2018 the Philippine Rice Industry Roadmap (PRIR) 2030, which recommends policies, plans, programs and projects to make the country's rice industry competitive.

Hint: Farmer leaders, that Roadmap is notfor PhilRice's eyes only!@517