Veggie farmers to use imports as a poll issue

La Trinidad, Benguet — Irked vegetable farmers in Mountain Province and Benguet are poised to raise an election issue in 2004: The importation of vegetables killing the local industry.

This came even as Gov. Raul Molintas expressed pessimism that vegetable farmers can stop the importation of semi-temperate vegetables because the country has already opened its trade doors through membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO).

During this week’s caravan — that went around La Trinidad before converging at the La Trinidad Trading Post, a thousand farmers, traders and local officials from Benguet and Mountain Province displayed some prominent placards that read: "Tulungan mo kami kung ayaw mong ma-zero sa 2004," referring to President Arroyo.

Cordillera voters have a tendency to vote as a block although voting behavior here has been largely influenced by ethnicity or ethnic identification.

Molintas however told the rallyists that instead of blaming WTO, they should ask the government to defer the full implementation of WTO by 2005.

Molintas, Mountain Province Gov. Sario Malinias, La Trinidad Mayor Nestor Fongwan and other provincial officials joined the rally organized by the La Trinidad Vegetable Trading Post members.

Benguet Boardmember Johnny Uy, who has been vocal against the smuggling for the past five years, said that the entry into the WTO started the decline of vegetable industry in Cordillera.

He said that importation was justified years ago when carrots reached P200 a kilo but illegal smuggling has worsened since July this year.

Authorities have raided some warehouses in Metro Manila carting away tons of assorted vegetables from Taiwan, Australia and China.

Molintas warned that the worst is yet to come for Benguet farmers. He said that by January 2003, tariff rates for importers will even be be reduced to five percent paving the way for more imports.

Molintas is calling for special treatment for developing countries like the Philippines defering full implementation of GATT by 2005 when there would be zero tariff.

"They should give us twenty-years deferment and by then we would be prepared," he said.

He also called for the lowering of tariff instead of imported agricultural inputs like fertilizers and pesticides.