Farmers endure falling palay prices
Farmers are left with no choice as palay prices continue to drop during the peak harvest season. Nestor Valdez, a farmer from Dingras, Ilocos Norte, sells his dry palay for Php. 17.00 per kilo, says it is still a low price for palay. Palay prices usually drop during peak harvest season in October and November. According to Inquirer News on 27th of November 2020 from a high of Php. 19.18 per kilo in May, the average price has fallen by as much as 20% to Php. 15.36 in October.
“Mayat lattan a ngem no saan nga kapilitan a ket nababa unay ta Php. 17.00,” said Nestor Valdez in an interview about the price of palay during the season. He endures the low palay price in order to recover lost labor cost.
“Nangina unay ti abono kada fertilizers, depende pay no mayat ta irik mo, no madi ket nabab-baba manen paggatang da,” added JR Munoz, also a farmer there. The price of fertilizers that they used in rice planting is at a high cost. Palay price can go as low as Php. 11.00, depending on its quality, wet palay usually cost lower price.
Filipino farmers struggle with high cost of inputs and low price of palay for many years. The pandemic and all the typhoons that passed through our country is another problem faced by the farmers.
11203 or Rice Tariffication Law, passed last February 2019, aims to modernize the agricultural sector as a way of making the sector globally competitive. Under this law, it permits the entry of imported rice while imposing a tariff, which varies depending on the volume of imported goods.
The rice tarrification law blamed for the falling palay price.
According to Agriculture Undersecretary Ariel Ayanan, the Rice Tarrification Law might have affected the low palay price.
“There’s a recognition na meron siyang epekto kaya tinitingnan natin kung ano ang dapat agad nating gawin,” she said.
Banner Photo by MARCK LOUIE D. GABAYAN
