Department of Agrarian Reform-7 regional director Rodolfo Inson revealed that they are not anymore accepting land conversion applications.
This is because land conversion, like crop conversion, is seen as one of the factors in the country’s low rice production. Thus, it was proposed that the moratorium on land conversion be permanently implemented.
Inson mentioned that Mindanao farmers are converting ricefields into banana plantations because of the greater profit.
It was also learned that farmers have complained that prices of pesticides and fertilizers in maintaining the quality of rice have continued to soar.
In relation to rice production, DAR officials together with their counterparts in other government agencies conducted their annual regional Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program implementing team meeting yesterday.
It was during the meeting that DA representative Elsa Basanes refuted claims that there is an ongoing crisis in rice supply.
“There is no rice crisis, only price crisis. This happens because also of the hoarding of rice stocks,” she said. — Junel Joe Gato and Jo-ana Marie Desuyo, MEEV