Friday, July 11, 2008 Guv to bring small sugar planters' concern to DA
NEGROS Occidental Governor Isidro Zayco on Thursday vowed to help small sugar planters in the province on their plight in calling for Malacañang's immediate intercession on the current exorbitant prices of fertilizers.
In a press conference at the Capitol Thursday, Zayco presented to the media a letter from Hinigaran Vice Mayor Jose Nadie Arceo, seeking his immediate help to lobby with the National Government on the possibility of importing fertilizer and the conduct of an in depth investigation on the spiraling prices of fertilizers.
Arceo is also the current president of Unifarms, a group of thousands of small sugar planters in Negros Occidental.
"Yes, I will help them and I will bring their concerns to the attention of Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap," Zayco vowed.
Representative Ignacio 'Iggy' Arroyo Jr., of the 5th district of Negros Occidental, also assured Arceo's group that he would bring this matter to the attention of his sister-in-law, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, as soon as possible.
The Provincial Board (PB) will also pass an ordinance that will call for a thorough investigation on the alleged cartel of fertilizers in the country, which is allegedly resulting to high prices.
Arceo said: "We are worried now of the drastic increase in the cost of fertilizer that resulted to the increase of production costs and have placed in doubt the plight of small and medium sugar planters."
"The soaring price of fertilizers and other chemical-based farm inputs are now considered parts of the looming crisis in the sugar industry," the Unifarms head added.
Unifarms members are set to stage an indignation rally on July 19 at the Bacolod Public Plaza to dramatize their call for the National Government to immediately act and probe the spiraling prices of fertilizers.
"We believe that if the government doesn't act at once, this problem would result to serious repercussions in the future of the industry," Arceo said.
If not, he said those depending on the sugar industry should expect a worst case scenario, with 75 percent of small sugar planters in Negros to be affected, including the 70 percent sugar production nationwide.
Thousands of Negrenses employed by small sugar planters would also be out of jobs and are facing the threat of going hungry, Arceo said.
Each of the small sugar planters is employing not less than five laborers. In Negros Occidental, small planters compose 75 percent of the sugar industry. (Erwin Ambo Delilan)
