Former House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Congressman Carlos Isagani Zarate lambasted the Department of Agriculture’s continued reliance on agricultural imports that are devastating local farmers.
The statement comes as farmgate prices of tomatoes have plummeted to a dismal P4 per kilogram, while the DA continues to authorize importation of agricultural products despite approaching harvest seasons.
Zarate called out the DA for what amounts to economic sabotage against our own farmers. “When tomato farmers are forced to sell their produce at P4 per kilo, barely covering the cost of their inputs, while the DA authorizes unnecessary imports, we are witnessing the systematic destruction of our agricultural sector.”
Bayan Muna’s Zarate emphasized that the DA’s recent authorization to import 3,000 metric tons of red onions and 1,000 metric tons of white onions directly undermines local farmers who are about to harvest their crops, like in Nueva Ecija, a major onion growing province.
“Ito ay malinaw na economic sabotage laban sa ating mga magsasaka. Imbes na tulungan sila sa pamamagitan ng subsidyo at agricultural support gaya ng cold storage facilities, pinapatay sila ng DA sa pamamagitan ng walang habas na importasyon,” Zarate stated.
“Ang mga magsasaka natin ang nagpapakain sa bansa, ngunit sila mismo ay nagugutom dahil sa kapabayaan at maling patakaran ng gobyerno.”
[This is clear economic sabotage against our farmers. Instead of helping them through subsidies and agricultural support like cold storage facilities, the DA is killing them through reckless importation. Our farmers feed the nation, yet they themselves go hungry due to government neglect and misguided policies.]
Zarate pointed out that while the DA claims to be investigating onion hoarding, it continues to implement the very import policies that create price volatility, not8ng for instance the observation of many farmers that this is the first time that tons of onions are being imported in time for the local harvest season.
“The DA’s contradictory actions speak volumes. They import 4,000 metric tons of onions claiming supply shortages, then investigate hoarding when prices remain high. Then, when prices of the local onion supply go down, the same trader-importers, the same profiteers will cash in at the expense of our local farmers,” he said.
Meanwhile, our tomato farmers are forced to sell at P4 per kilo because the market is flooded with imports, Zarate added.
Zarate called for an immediate suspension of agricultural imports and the implementation of genuine support for farmers including production subsidies, affordable credit, and investment in cold storage and processing facilities.
“Hindi solusyon ang importasyon. Ang kailangan ay tunay na suporta para sa ating mga magsasaka upang mapataas ang kanilang produksyon at kita,” Zarate emphasized. “Ang patuloy na pag-asa sa imported na produkto ay nagpapahina sa ating food security at nagpapalala sa kahirapan ng ating mga magsasaka.”
[Importation is not the solution. What we need is genuine support for our farmers to increase their production and income. The continued reliance on imported products weakens our food security and worsens the poverty of our farmers.]
He concluded by calling for a comprehensive congressional inquiry into the DA’s importation policies and their impact on local agricultural producers. “Enough of this economic sabotage by the agency supposedly mandated to protect our local farmers and agriculture industry.” #
