Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, February 23) — Importation will not solve the skyrocketing prices of agricultural products in the country, according to a former secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Speaking to CNN Philippines’ The Final Word, Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol said importation has become an “automatic reaction” of economic managers when faced with high inflation rates because they think the prices will go down.
“History will tell us na never bumagsak ang mga presyo ng mga pagkain dahil nag-import ang gobyerno [that food prices never dropped because the government resorted to importation]. It’s not a solution,” Piñol stressed.
It also discourages local farmers from producing agricultural products, the former DA chief added.
“Kung ikaw ang local producer, tapos may darating na imported na kakumpitensya mong produkto, mananamlay ka [If you are the local producer and an imported competitor product comes in, you will be demoralized],” he said. “It will dampen the planting intentions of farmers. It’s sending a wrong signal to local producers.”
“Hindi naman masama mag-import pero yung [It’s not bad to import, but] dependence on importation for our food security program is a wrong strategy,” Piñol emphasized.
Last month, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. — who is also DA secretary — approved the importation of 21,060 metric tons of onions, as prices of the commodity soared to P600 per kilogram in some Metro Manila markets.
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/1/10/PH-to-import-21-060-red-onions.html
