War on rice hoarders urged as harvests seen to meet targets

LUCENA CITY—Consumers here urged President Aquino to start waging war on the continuing increase in rice prices and hoarding which a party-list group said the agriculture department should take seriously instead of discrediting department critics.

“After waging war against Muslim rebels in Zamboanga, it’s about time for President Aquino to confront the rice saboteurs,” housewife Aida Estoria told the Inquirer at the city market here.

Estoria, whose husband is a construction foreman, complained that housewives like her are being “hit hard” by the rising cost of rice.

“Before, I can still afford to buy dinorado (a well-milled variety of rice). But with its present price of P46 a kilo, it’s now too prohibitive for us. I would no longer be able to afford to buy morsels of meat,” Estoria said.

Early this month, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said he would file charges of economic sabotage against illegal rice smugglers and hoarders.

Abakada Rep. Jonathan de la Cruz dared Alcala to act decisively and start filing the charges.

Prices continued to increase, however, De la Cruz said.

Data from the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics (BAS) said the average retail price of regular milled rice in the second week of September was P36.1 per kilo or P3.7 higher than prices during the same period a year ago and P4.7 more than what consumers paid for in 2011.

“If you see that prices in the market are high, and you see on the BAS website that rice prices are going up, what will you believe, the press release or the evidence?” he said.

In a statement, industry stakeholders have assured the public of ample supply of rice despite the slight delay in harvest, saying some smugglers may be trying to create an artificial shortage to justify the presence of illegally imported grain in the market.

“We have assessed the situation. There is really no shortage,” said Abono party-list chair Rosendo So, who met this week with industry stakeholders to find out the real rice supply situation in the country.

So said several groups in the rice industry gave assurances of sufficient supply. These include Robert Castro, head of the Fertilizer Industry Association of the Philippines; Oftociano Manalo, head of the Confederation of Irrigators Association, and Herculano Co, head of the Philippine Confederation of Grains Associations.

“The planting season was delayed because the rainy season was also delayed. Some farmers planted in July, some in August, so it is as if there is shortage when actually there is none,” So said.

“Retailers are also waiting for the next harvest so they are not increasing their stockpile,” he added.

Alcala said consumers should not take reports of rice shortage hook,line and sinker. “Now that the harvest season has started, we are positive that the price of rice will return to normal,” Alcala said.