|
Wednesday, October 16, 2002
Farmers rally v. smuggling, import of veggies
FARMERS and other concerned personalities will hold a rally Wednesday morning in La Trinidad to drum up support against the continuous smuggling of vegetables and the unabated importation of farm produce which affect the prices of local products.
This developed even as Benguet Gov. Raul Molintas said that while the national government is doing something about the illegal smuggling of vegetables coming from China and other countries, the legal importation of huge volumes of farm produce should also be limited so as not to affect the prices of locally-produced vegetables as well as the income of the farmers.
The governor reported that based on the survey of the La Trinidad municipal government, some 61 farmers in the town and other nearby areas have been affected by the smuggling of vegetables into the country as well as by the unrestrained importation.
The loss in terms of income of the farmers, he added, already amounted to around P3.5 million.
"We have to determine the larger impact (of such importation, illegal or otherwise). Our farmers might resort to planting prohibited plants or might resort to violence to earn additional income," he warned.
"When we import, we are also supporting the economy and labor force of other countries."
Molintas reiterated that the country is not yet ready for the full implementation of the agricultural provisions of the General Agreement on Tariff and Trade and appealed to the national government to either suspend the GATT implementation and the total lifting of the quantitative restrictions of vegetables or fund and strictly implement the safety nets to ensure the protection of the local producers and farmers.
"It was then Senator Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo who said that safety nets should be put in place so that the local farmers will be given the chance to compete. Now
that she's the president, we expect no less than that," Molintas stressed, hoping that the legislative and executive put their hands together to come up
with appropriate solutions.
"Time is of essence to us."
He added that the national government should first ensure the participation of concerned local government units by increasing their Internal Revenue Allotment shares and fully devolving the functions of agencies like the Department of Agriculture. Cheryl G. Cruz |
|
[return to top]
[home]
[network page]
|
LOCAL NEWS
BUSINESS
OPINION
SPORTS
LIFESTYLE
FEATURE
|
