NFA rice overpriced in Mindanao, says report

07/18/2008 | 12:18 PM

MANILA, Philippines — Militant fishermen asked Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap on Friday to look into reports that prices of rice have doubled in at least four provinces in the southern island of Mindanao.

Radio dzBB's Mao dela Cruz reported that the fishers' group Pamalakaya complained that even rice subsidized by the National Food Authority (NFA) priced at P18.25 per kilogram was being sold at P28 to P36 per kilogram.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/107742/NFA-rice-overpriced-in-Mindanao-says-report

I also question why rice prices here in Mindanao are high?? We have the rice here..then why it is as expensive as the rice in the cebu and manila markets? Is this the government's doing? Are the traders also in it?

Govt spends P8.6B on rice subsidies in first half

07/16/2008 | 01:54 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The national government, through the National Food Authority (NFA), spent P8.6 billion from January to June this year to subsidize rice, an official statement on Tuesday quoted Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap as having said in a forum at the University of Asia and the Pacific (UA&P) last week.

The statement from the Agriculture department said Mr. Yap told participants in that forum that his department has distributed nearly 14.8 million bags of state-subsidized rice this year.

NFA Spokesman Rex C. Estoperez, in a separate interview Tuesday, explained that the P8.6 billion "represents the direct loss of NFA, considering only the basic costexcluding miscellaneous and incidental expenses like storage cost."

Mr. Yap said the NFA rice stocks, as well as other basic commodities, were distributed and sold through 3,197 Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke, 8,080 Tindahan Natin outlets, 540 Bigasan sa Parokya, and 199 rolling stores nationwide.

The department, he added, also has 108 Barangay Bagsakan or drop-off points — 36 in Metro Manila and 72 elsewhere in the country — and 30 Bagsakan Centers that provide affordable basic food items to about 504,350 poor households.

Mr. Yap noted that to ensure that the P18.25-per-kilo subsidized rice do reach poor consumers, the government has set up additional 1,399 new Tindahan Natin outlets.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/107171/Govt-spends-P86B-on-rice-subsidies-in-first-half

The current rice shortage and price increase of rice is not due to lack of rice output but because of the subsequent rice monopoly strategy being done not by business men but by the government. It was once said in an TV interview that the Philippines offered a tender in the international market a price of 45pesos per kilo...Now, in the local trading un-milled rice is being bought at 10pesos to only as high as 15pesos..The National Food Authority also buys un-milled rice from farmers at this very low prices. Now who in the right mind would buy in the international market 45pesos per kilo rice?? The government does not need to tender that high in the international market..They could have bought the local rice from farmers at 25pesos!! In these way, more farmers will be happy and the cost of rice per kilo would not ballon to 35pesos per kilo..

The government strategy is not for the sake of the people but it is for the sake of the few..You can expect that the 45pesos per kilo tendered at the international market, politicians or high ranking government employees will have huge kickbacks with it..

Davao projects vie for farm modernization funding

07/16/2008 | 02:16 AM

DAVAO CITY, Philippines — The Agriculture department’s regional office has recommended 42 applications for support from the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.

A statement quoted Rogelio C. Chio, regional Agriculture director, as saying that his office found these applicants viable, based on their feasibility studies.

"Any project proposal that we found viable, feasible, profitable, and could generate jobs, will be recommended for approval and speedy release of funds," Mr. Chio said.

Although the agency did not release the list of applications and the total amount involved, it said a number of them involved swine production, fisheries culture, banana production and post-harvest facilities for rice.

One such project was designed to increase the drying capacity of a rice producer in Davao Oriental, considered the rice granary of the Davao Region.

The department estimates that the entire agriculture sector loses about P50 billion annually to wastage due to poor or improper post-harvest storage.

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/107174/Davao-projects-vie-for-farm-modernization-funding