DA: Palawan farmers to benefit from Rice Tarrification Act funds

The Department of Agriculture (DA) assured Palawan farmers that Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tarrificarion Act will benefit rice farmers and will help improve rice production through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

Present during the recent ProvinciaI Farm Achievement Day spearheaded by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist in Citystate Asturias Hotel were farmer-delegates from the towns of Aborlan, Araceli, Balabac, Bataraza, Brook’s Point, Culion, Dumaran, Narra, Quezon, Rizal, Roxas, Sofronio Española, San Vicente and Taytay.

Speaking before farmers from 14 municipalities in Palawan, DA MIMAROPA Regional Rice Coordinator Theresa Aguilar said that the Rice Tariffication Act takes effect on March 2019 with up to P11 billion in import duties expected to be collected under the law during its first year of implementation.

She told farmers that the P10 billion Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) under the Rice Tarriffication law, which is funded by tariffs generated by rice imports, is set up to make the domestic rice industry more competitive through farm mechanization, access to better seeds, and more financing and extension services, among others.

Most importantly the Rice Tarrification Act will ensure the sufficient supply of rice in the country’s market even during calamities.

“Ito ay para sa seguridad sa pagkain pagdating ng mga kalamidad at kung sakaling kulangin sa produksyon ng bigas sa bansa,” she said.

The Provincial Government said that the gathering showcases the good agricultural practices of Palawan farmers from the different towns in a bid to share knowledge, farming practices to help uplift the lives of the farmers and fisherfolk in the province.

“Ang ginanap na pagtitipon ay naging daan upang maipakita ng Kagawaran ng Agrikultura ang paglago ng bawat munisipyo sa industriya ng pagsasaka at upang maipabatid sa mga partisipante kung paano maging progresibo ang bawat munisipyo na kanilang kinabibilangan,” a statement from the Provincial Government said.