Agri groups back rice price cap — PCO
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In a statement released by the PCO, several groups and organizations from the agricultural sector said they would back the initiative.
“Sumusuporta ako sa desisyon ng ating Pangulo na hanggang doon lang ‘yung price ceiling at sana ay hindi na tumaas dahil sa sobrang taas na halos hindi na makaagapay ang ating mga mamamayan at lalong-lalo naman na ang mga nagtatanim ng palay o magsasaka,” said Bantay Buklura ARBs and Farmers’ Association president Lilian Macalood.
(I support the decision of our President to set a price ceiling. I hope it will not increase because our citizens can hardly keep up, especially rice farmers.)
“Kaya sana ‘yang tinakdang presyo ng ating Pangulo ang masunod at hindi itatago ng mga retailer o nag-seller nang huwag nang taasan ‘yan kasi hindi na talaga makaagapay ang mga mamayan sa sobrang taas. Bakit nagkakaganoon?” she added.
(So I hope that the price set by our President will be followed and that the retailers or sellers will resort to hoarding or increase prices because the people will not be able to cope with such a high price. Why is this happening?)
Meanwhile, Palawan ARC Cooperative Federation General Manager Reymundo Imaysay, in the same statement, said he believes the move will eliminate unhealthy competition among rice traders and the “abusive cartels” manipulating the price of rice.
According to the PCO, other members of farmer groups, such as the San Isidro Organic Farmers Association of Brgy. San Isidro, Sta. Fe, Leyte, the Yabong Kabuhayan ng Gatud (Yakag), DARPO-Oriental Mindoro of Gatud, Calapan City, Oriental Mindoro, the Genero ARB MPC of DAR-Occidental Mindoro and the Dubduban Farmers and Fisherfolks also expressed their support for the price cap.
However, some small rice retailers and lawmakers feared that the sudden imposition of price ceilings may result in significant losses that could force traders out of business.
Some said that the government should have given them more time to sell their existing stocks, which they had bought at prices higher than the ceilings mandated by the President.
Marcos previously committed to providing aid to rice retailers affected by the price caps with the help of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
