High production cost takes income from rice farmers

Bohol, by its production figures, may show enough rice supply but the rice farmers are losing income to high cost of production and that they are hungry, said the groups of farmers from Bohol towns during a press conference at the Farmers Development Center (FARDEC) yesterday.

FARDEC executive director Estrella Catarata said the center made a study on why Bohol farmers remain hungry despite producing more than the demands of the province.

She said that Bohol’s population of 1,137,268 need only a total of 111.8 million kilos of rice yearly, and farmers have produced a total of 112.8 million kilos of rice yearly from a total of 36,544 hectares planted to rice in Bohol.

These figures would easily translate to the province’s self-sufficiency in rice but Catarata said the high cost of farm inputs, land ownership problems, and lack of technical assistance from the government have driven the farmers down to the poverty level.

Catarata showed how this is so: A hectare of rice toiled by the farmer will yield 60 sacks or a gross income of P28,800. From this amount, one fourth share or P7,200 will go to the landlord, leaving the farmer with P21,600 in gross income.

From this gross income, the cost of production (from pre-harvest, irrigation, to post-harvest with thresher and blower rent, etc.) amounting to P21,625 will be deducted. “So it is very clear nga alkanse pa gani og P25 ang matag rice farmer,” Catarata said.

Antonio Boniel, chairperson of the Nagkahiusang Ubayanon Mag-uuma, added that farmers’ supposed earnings are eaten up by interests on borrowings during the production stage. A farmer has to borrow money to cover farm inputs, like fertilizers, since the rice variety being used here is dependent on chemicals.

Niboy Olayvar, who heads the Panaghugpong sa Mag-uuma sa Timog Amihanang Bohol, said it is only during harvest season that they can eat rice from their produce, and during planting season they content themselves with bananas, camote and cassava.

Although the rice procurement price of the National Food Authority is higher now at P14 to P15 per kilo, the middlemen will buy the farmers’ produce at a price lower than this, Olayvar said

The farmers suggested that, aside from genuine land reform and sustainable agricultural practices, boosting local food production will also entail a government’s shift to organic farming and for the NFA to lead in the buying of rice from the farmers.

Of all the towns in Bohol, it is Ubay that leads in total output of rice followed by Sierra Bullones, Talibon, Trinidad, Dagohoy, Guindulman, Valencia, Duero, Garcia Hernandez and Calape, in that order.  — Ferliza C. Contratista/RAE