Government urged to allocate P32 billion agri stimulus package on productivity

CEBU, Philippines —  The Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. (PCAFI) has asked the government to focus the allocation of the P32 billion stimulus package for “productivity” and value-added farm goods such as livestock and fishery,  not just on rice and corn, to enable economic resurgence amid the Covid-19 crisis.

In a letter to Congress, ESRP (Economic Stimulus Response Package) chairperson Rep. Joey Salceda, Agriculture Sec. William D. Dar, and PCAFI acknowledged the significant value of the P32 billion ESRP.

Nevertheless, with the budget’s limitation compared to the gargantuan need in agriculture, PCAFI asserted the budget should primarily zero in on productivity even in livestock, fishery, export-oriented fruits and vegetables that bring higher income.

“Focus should be on productivity, in time for the increasing demand and consumption towards the 3rd and 4th quarter of 2020, as a result of the grand stimulus package in order for the Philippine economy to recover,” said PCAFI President Danilo V. Fausto.

“While the P32.0 billion proposed supplemental budget will be of tremendous help to enable the agriculture stakeholders to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic that brought havoc to the industry, we feel it is inadequate and might leave the exclusions of concerns not properly addressed,” he added.

It is also important to allocate budget for logistics to move fish and agriculture goods, not only in Luzon, but in Mindanao, Fausto stressed.

“A lot of these products are wasted due to suspension of airline operation, difficulty in the land transport of perishable fruits, vegetables, fish, meat (specifically pork) and including fingerlings. Since these products are highly perishable, they need enhancement for cold chain support (refrigerated trucks),” he explained.

Budget for artificial insemination (AI) in reproducing livestock and for controlling ASF (African swine flu) is also important.

“There is an obvious slant towards rice and corn. Aside from rice, livestock, fishery and aqua need help. The ASF task force are running out of kits and lack veterinarians to monitor the livestock industry. There is a need to provide support on a consistent manner not only when disease outbreaks occur,” he said.

PCAFI also asked government to channel a P1.5 billion budget to more “value added” dairy, poultry, hogs, fisheries, and feed crops.

This P1.5 billion budget is originally proposed for urban agriculture and  protective personal equipment (P500 million each);  corn for food project (P300 million; and information, education and communications (P200 million).

“We would like to recommend that portions thereof be transferred to dairy, poultry, hogs, fisheries, and feed crops. These sectors have been hit hard by the ECQ with the closure or limited working hours of food outlets and will continue to suffer losses even under a GCQ (general community quarantine,” said Fausto.