New GMAs rice not campaign hype, official says

A top official of the Department of Agriculture (DA) said yesterday that no politics is involved in the distribution of a hybrid rice variety popularly known among farmers as "GMA rice."

Frisco Malabanan, a director of the Philippine Rice Institute in charge of GMA rice, said that the program has been in existence for three years.

"We started to implement the Ginintuang Ani rice program three years ago," he told reporters during the weekly Balitaan sa Rembrandt Hotel in Quezon City.

Some members of the opposition have accused President Arroyo of using the rice program in her bid to win votes in the coming elections.

Malabanan said a dramatic increase in harvest had been reported since GMA rice was introduced in various parts of the country.

He said the average yield increased from five metric tons to six metric tons per hectare.

"GMA rice can be compared to Jasmine rice in Thailand. It’s a quality rice," he said.

Aside from the distribution of certified seeds, the rice program also provides farmers with a financial subsidy.

Malabanan said the introduction of new hybrid rice varieties like GMA rice may be the answer to the country’s perennial rice shortage.

"With GMA rice we will no longer import rice in the future," he said.

Degree Of Support

In another development, Alyansang Agrikultura, a nationwide coalition of 37 agriculture-related organizations announced yesterday its six-point presidential agriculture agenda.

The group also called for a freeze or increase in tariffs for "agricultural products where there is no level playing field because of foreign subsidies" and an end to the "importation of all agricultural goods that pose bio security risks."

The group called for adjustment on tariffs on agricultural products for the WTO round to achieve fair trade.

They also proposed the maintenance of quantitative restrictions for rice beyond 2005 until support structures are in place to enable rice farmers to compete globally.

The group primarily called to fast-track the completion of the agrarian reform program with the necessary agricultural support services and guarantee of women’s property rights.

They also proposed to put a stop on importation of all agricultural products that pose bio security risks, along with prosecution of smugglers.

The group called for the speedy allocation of all coco levy funds to coconut farmers and a mechanism to safeguard the judicious disposition of the funds.

Alyansa convenor Omi Royondoyan, Philippine Peasant Institute executive director, said their proposal was formed through year-long nationwide consultations with farmers, fisherfolk and the agricultural sector.

The group claimed the agenda was presented to the six presidential candidates last February.

"Each (presidential candidate) has responded in varying degrees to the agenda’s items. The Alyansa is keeping track of these responses, and reporting these to its leaders nationwide," the group said in a statement.

They said the degree of support will depend on how the presidential candidate will respond to the agenda.

"Of the six priority issues identified by the Alyansa today, three are commodity-specific covering a significant number of votes," the group said.