DAGUPAN CITY -- The rice tariffication law is advantageous to the farmers and to the rice farming industry as a whole, according to farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Magsasaka (SINAG).
SINAG chairman Rosendo So explained that prior to the passage of the law, rice exporters from other countries did not pay tariff; whereas in the new law, exporters from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will pay 35 percent while non-ASEAN members will pay 50-percent tariff.
“In the previous law, only those within 800,000 metric tons import will pay the tariff, whereas the new law requires all volumes of rice imports to pay tariff,” he said during the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkasters sa Pilipinas (KBP) Pangasinan chapter forum on Thursday.
So further said the National Food Authority (NFA) will buy only from the local farmers and will not be in charge of the importation.
“The tariff(ication) law is a protection for the farmers as the tariff will go directly to the rice industry,” he said.
So explained the tariff to be collected from rice imports will go to Philippine Rice Research Institute for their research on quality varieties of rice seeds, while the other percentage of the tariff will be utilized for procuring harvesters and dryers, among others, which is expected to lessen the loss during harvest.
He said the 10-percent tariff will go to the Landbank of the Philippines for loan programs for farmers, and another 10 percent will be allocated for the training of farmers through the Agricultural Training Institute and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.
“Before, the tariff goes to the national government but now, it is clearly stated in the law that the funds go to the Rice Enhancement Program,” So added. (PNA)
