MANILA, Philippines – Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. asked the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) in a letter sent Monday, March 24, to investigate claims that at least three farmers in Nueva Ecija took their lives because of low palay prices.
“Let us allow these families to grieve in peace. We will provide any assistance necessary,” said Tiu Laurel in a statement released Tuesday, March 25.
A news report last March 18 cited Argel Joseph Cabatbat, chairman of the patry-list group Magsasaka, as saying at least three farmers took their lives because of low palay prices. Another farmers’ group, Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP), lamented the reported deaths and how local farmers are driven to compete with cheap rice imports.
“Farmers in Nueva Ecija are forced to sell their palay at P15 per kilogram or even lower — a price that barely covers the cost of production and leaves farmers with no means to support their families or pay off mounting debts,” the KMP said in a statement on Saturday, March 22.
The agriculture chief, meanwhile, has “expressed concerns over how some groups are characterizing these ‘unfortunate incidents,’” the DA’s statement said.
Tiu Laurel pointed out again the National Food Authority’s (NFA) lack of power to regulate prices. In February, the DA had to declare a food emergency so the NFA could release its stocks, free space in warehouses, and prepare for the palay harvest season.
“With its limited authority, the NFA cannot intervene in the market effectively, leaving traders room to suppress palay prices,” said Tiu Laurel. “This has led to the current farmgate prices dropping to as low as P14 per kilo.”
The Federation of Free Farmers said it received reports of fresh palay selling at P15-17/kilo in San Jose, Occidental Mindoro, and some parts of Nueva Ecija.
The NFA is set to buy 880,000 metric tons of palay this year from local farmers to maintain a 15-day buffer stock of rice.
Presidential Communications Office Undersecretary Claire Castro has denied that NFA Nueva Ecija had yet to start buying palay from farmers because of warehouses filled to capacity.
Castro said in a press briefing Tuesday that farmers selling their palay would have to wait their turn as it is the peak season.
“Lahat po na magbibenta na farmer, kung sila po ay may pagkakataon na hintayin ang kanilang turn, bibilin po ito ng NFA,” said Castro. “Hindi po natin tatanggihan ang lahat ng ibibenta ng farmers.”
(All farmers who are selling, if they can wait for their turn, the NFA will buy from them. We will not turn down the harvest sold by farmers.)
The NFA is currently buying fresh palay at P19/kilo in Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, and Central Luzon; at P18/kilo the rest of the country. It buys dry palay at P24/kilo. – Rappler.com