Pinsalang dulot ng El Niño sa agrikultura, pumalo na sa higit P5-B;
Pagtulong sa mga apektadong magsasaka at mangingisda, patuloy
Pagtulong sa mga apektadong magsasaka at mangingisda, patuloy
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 First in our news, the importance of aluminum nitrate in the agriculture sector is continuously decreasing.
00:08 And the most affected are rice farmers.
00:12 But when the Department of Agriculture confirmed that there is no longer any responsibility for the supply of rice to the country,
00:18 Klezel Pardilla is in the center of the news live.
00:24 Angelique, the agricultural sector is growing and the regions of Mimaropa, Western Visayas, Cordillera and Cagayan are the most affected.
00:34 The agricultural sector of El Nino has already exceeded P5.9 billion.
00:43 The largest part of this is the damaged rice, high-value crops such as vegetables and other agricultural products.
00:52 According to the Department of Agriculture, the agency is continuing to distribute aid,
00:58 in accordance with the directive of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.,
01:02 such as financial aid, water pumps and free rice to be able to plant again.
01:09 We have already given more than P2.18 billion worth of intervention to the affected farmers and fisher folks.
01:18 In fact, the production of rice decreased by 4.68 million metric tons in the first quarter of 2024.
01:26 This is worse than last year and the first projection of the Philippine Statistics Authority.
01:32 But the DA assured that...
01:35 Despite the El Nino, we still have sufficient supply of rice.
01:38 The damage to our rice is 58,000 hectares.
01:44 This is equivalent to 2.72% of the total area planted, more than 2 million hectares.
01:50 So, it's still not that big.
01:53 The Federation of Free Farmers is worried that the rice supply in the agriculture sector has increased and decreased.
02:01 But through the DA, aside from local production, the arrival of imported rice is also expected.
02:09 The imported rice in the Philippines has reached 1.1 million metric tons.
02:16 The FFF said that the price of imported rice is slowly decreasing in the agricultural market.
02:24 But there is still no certainty if consumers will feel this.
02:29 Will the lower import price bring down retail prices?
02:35 Or because the local price is a bit expensive, the importer will say that he will sell it at a higher price to earn more.
02:47 So we don't know how that will play out.
02:49 The DA wanted to put a label on the rice in the market, depending on the class and if it is imported or local.
02:57 We are seeing that. It's easy to mix.
03:01 If a type of rice is cheaper, it will be mixed with a more expensive one, and then sold at a higher price.
03:10 That will be a problem.
03:12 Meanwhile, Angelique Bucod, on the funds received from the National Rice Program and Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund,
03:23 which is a Department of Agriculture, gave to the farmers affected by El Niño
03:30 the excess rice collected from imported rice that reached almost Php 20 billion last year.
03:41 Back to you, Angelique.
03:42 Yes, Clay, it's good that there are water pumps and free rice that the DA is giving.
03:48 But since El Niño has already collected more than Php 5 billion in agriculture,
03:54 will the DA's assistance be added to the farmers?
03:58 Yes, Angelique.
04:03 The Department of Agriculture will be given more assistance.
04:09 As of the press time, they are already giving assistance, including the water pump,
04:18 because it is needed.
04:20 They are not expecting that there will be a sudden rain this month.
04:28 So that is one of the priorities of the Department of Agriculture,
04:31 as well as the farmers, to recover and plant rice.
04:36 The Department of Agriculture has a quick response fund,
04:40 while the local governments have similar funds that should be given to the farmers affected by El Niño.
04:50 Aside from that, Angelique, when the State of Calamity declares a local government,
04:56 they will have more access to the funds that will be used as assistance to the farmers and fishermen.
05:04 Angelique?
05:04 Okay, they say that the prices of imported rice are already falling.
05:09 Do consumers really feel this?
05:12 Yes, Angelique.
05:16 According to the Department of Agriculture, the price of rice is stable.
05:21 And just like what the Federation of Free Farmers mentioned,
05:25 sometimes, even if the prices in the world market are falling,
05:30 the market does not feel that way because the local rice prices are still high.
05:37 And the prices of imported rice are being equalized with the local prices.
05:42 And even if the prices go down, for example, from $600 per metric ton,
05:48 it became $550,
05:50 that is just a minimal price when it is translated to each kilo of rice.
05:56 Angelique?
05:56 Okay, thank you very much, Clayzel Padilla.