From Shortage to Sufficiency

Written by Kehm Socayre

Philippines is one of the countries in the tropical regions whose soil is best for agriculture. The
country produces different types of rice and harvests metric tons of them yet Filipino’s experience high
price rates especially in Zamboanga, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (ZAMBASULTA). There was also an
occurrence of the controversy that there is a rice shortage in this region in which the Malacanang Palace
Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque, denies. “We have no rice shortage. We have sufficient supply and
many more stocks are forthcoming. Many have arrived, many more will arrive” He quoted.

The Spokesperson even highlighted that the country will be importing a quota of 805,200 metric
tons of rice this year. Which leads us to ask, why are going to import when we are supposed to be
exporting? What happened to the Filipino farmers? What happened to the National Food Authority (NFA)?

The idea and resolution presented by the Malacanang of importing massive volume of rice to
cease the depletion of the rice buffer stock seems the best solution to the problem, but eventually it will
only impede the process of resolving this problem directly to its root. In addition, the spokesman pointed
out the illegal rice hoarders who manipulate the price market. He threatened these people and assured
their bankruptcy. Roque’s statement appears to be reassuring, but the Filipinos demand an immediate
action, not an empty promise.

Filipino farmers won’t sell their rice to NFA because their buying price is too low. That’s why these
farmers negotiate with traders to gain better profit. Aside from this, NFA distributed a large amount of
rice stocks to its retailer during harvest season, and sold less amount during the lean season. This tactic
seems illogical and unreasonable.

As of now the fastest solution for this havoc is indeed importing, but it also needs more than just
that. The NFA should raise the price on buying from the farmers, this movement will encourage them to
plant more and increase the buffer stock from then on. The government should also control the export of
rice from our country, by this, we reduce the import that we need. We also cut the budget that we spend.
The country should move quick to hunt these illegal hoarders to prevent them from controlling the price,
by this we increase our rice market and we also decrease our market price.

As a conclusion, the government should pay more attention to Filipino farmers and value them as
they should be. We also take into consideration the country’s inflation rate which is the highest in
Southeast Asia by 6.4%, we can expect deflation on the food department. By this we save the economy’s
growth and secure it, thus providing more revenues for the farmers and produce more goods rather than
spending our money on imported products.