Marcos Urged to Raise Rice Tariff as Farmers Hit With P54B Losses

President Marcos must raise the tariff on imported rice soon to safeguard farmers' income and prevent further ballooning of their losses that an industry group has estimated to have reached over P54 billion due to falling palay prices.

- Jasper Emmanuel Arcalas

Industry groups present during the third periodic review of the 15 percent rice tariff recently were unanimous in proposing an immediate tariff hike, citing continuous decline in farmgate prices and income of farmers.

"We are urging the President to raise the rice tariff now; otherwise, if we wait the next review period in November, it will be too late for our palay farmers," former agriculture secretary Leonardo Montemayor told The STAR.

Montemayor was present during the tariff review meeting last July 30, representing the Federation of Free Farmers (FFF). Three other industry groups and players were present in the meeting and supported the increase in rice tariff.

Montemayor said palay prices would continue to freefall come the wet harvest season, which begins in September, that would lead to even lower profit for farmers.

FFF estimated that rice farmers have lost around P54.5 billion in the first half as a result of the P6 per kilo average drop in palay prices on an annual basis.