9th February 2016 Daily global Rice enewsletter by riceplus magazine
Unedited version
www.riceplusmagazine.blogspot.com
Government eyeing to cut palay production cost by 22% by Mary Grace Padin - February 9, 2016 By Mary Grace Padin The Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting to cut the cost of producing paddy rice by 22 percent to P8.50 per kilogram from the current P11 per kg in its bid to make Filipino farmers more competitive. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said the government intends to do this by expanding its farm-mechanization program and improving farmers‘ access to government financial institutions. ―We need to lower the cost of producing palay to P8.50 per kg so local farmers can become more competitive. This needs a lot of work, particularly in the area of farm mechanization,‖ Alcala said. The DA chief said local rice farmers are capable of edging out farmers in other Southeast Asian countries as imported rice are slapped a 35-percent tariff. ―Making locally produced rice cheaper will discourage smugglers, as retail prices of Philippine rice would be on a par with rice brought into the country illegally,‖ Alcala said.