Farmers ask GMA to settle rice import row

Various national farmers’ organizations called on President Arroyo yesterday to immediately act on the "stringent" guidelines formulated by the National Food Authority (NFA) on the rice importation quota, which makes it hard for them to compete with big rice cartels.

The guidelines are implemented to fulfill the objective of the "Farmers as Importers of Special Rice Program," a pet project of Mrs. Arroyo.

Jess Simon, one of the leaders of the Provincial Farmers Action Council, said the NFA’s highly restrictive guidelines defeat the purpose of the program, which is aimed at giving priority to the country’s rice farmers in the allocation of rice importation quota during periods when there is an insufficient supply of rice.

It is estimated that the country will have to import a total of 800,000 metric tons of rice this year to replenish its stock and prevent possible shortage, especially in the light of a looming war between the United States and Iraq.

"On behalf of all farmers’ organizations nationwide, we are appealing to President Arroyo to please step into the issue and order the NFA to modify its guidelines to promote the interests of small farmers instead of big rice cartels," Simon said.

The program was launched by the President in her State of the Nation Address last year to dismantle rice cartels and prevent unscrupulous rice smugglers from flooding the local market with imported rice.

At a rally held earlier this week, the farmers said that big rice traders managed to corner most of the rice import allocation because the guidelines give them barely 15 days to secure a letter of credit from the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The farmers claimed the 15-day period is too short because no farmer or farmers’ group is capable of securing large loans in such a short span of time.