Farming lobby calls for logistics, power subsidies

LEGISLATORS who will be elected on May 12 need to introduce measures that will subsidize the cost of farm logistics and rural electricity, the Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) said in a statement.

SINAG also called for fuel and fertilizer subsidies to “ease production burdens.”

“We need senators who will not bow to pressure from smugglers, importers, or foreign interest groups. We need allies in the Senate who will fight for local agriculture,” it added.

SINAG said legislators also need to address the impact of decreased tariffs for major imported commodities, including rice.

It urged them to reinstate import duties for rice to 35%, and for meat/poultry to 50%.

Farmer groups had asked the Tariff Commission to restore rice import tariffs to 35% for Southeast Asian grain and to 50% for all other countries of origin. — Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza