Duterte lifts quota on rice importation

April 29, 2018

DAVAO CITY – President Rodrigo Duterte lifted the quota on the importation of rice  to ensure filled warehouses of traders and the National Food Authority.

The only catch was a ban on importation during harvest season, he said at a Sunday morning press conference arriving from Singapore where he attended the 32 nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit.

“So that there would be no more trouble, it’s anybody who has the money. My job is to fill our warehouse and the inventory,” Duterte said.

Duterte said he would not settle for a “half-full or half empty” warehouses of the NFA. “The inventory I want is a full house. You don’t have to count by the bags, just fill the warehouses,” he recalled telling NFA Administrator Jason Aquino.

Duterte said he lifted the quota “because it is a source of corruption” and that he was angered at being hounded by the same problem of rice shortage “that has bugged previous administrations”.

He said traders and other private importers may want to flood the market with their rice supply but he said government would be ready to fill in any aberration, such as a shortage in some regions.

“Every time you want to import, and one region has the aberration, the NFA can readily fill in with its stocks. So, if anyone wants to create shortage, I will unleash the power of plenty. That’s the only way to go," said Duterte.

Duterte said he would discard the sealed bidding for importation privilege like a public auction. Instead, he said, “I’ll call them to Malacañan, all the traders. All those who want to import.”

“They would have to play by the market. They could overstock. They could fill with rice the entire Philippines. It would be good because it would bring down prices. I would favor it,” he said.

If there were no takers, he said, “then we will auction the privilege of importation so long as it is open. I don’t like it closed like the sealed bids. Why should we hide prices of what we’re going to get?”

But there would be no importation during harvest season and said this would be “a government enforced regulation”.

This period of importation ban would help shield farmers from dampened prices, Duterte said.  Also, he has directed Aquino to buy all produce of rice farmers. “I told him (Aquino) we will not earn so buy all their produce, increase the buying price." DMS