Binay vows more subsidies for rice farmers

MANILA, Philippines - Rice farmers can expect to receive enormous seed and fertilizer subsidies from the government should Vice President Jejomar Binay win the presidency next year.

“Rice is our staple food, yet our government has extended very little support to our rice farmers. It is crucial that we give our farmers the assistance they need to improve their harvest and make farming profitable,” Binay said in a statement yesterday after visiting the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in Los Baños, Laguna.

Citing a PhilRice study, Binay said Filipino rice farmers are getting relatively low government support compared to their peers in Asia.

“While China offers free inbred seeds to farmers and free hybrid seeds to cooperative members, our government gives zero subsidies for seeds or fertilizers,” he said.

Rice farmers spend almost P5,000 on fertilizers at P1,188 per 50 kilogram-bag, he pointed out, and use around four bags per hectare.

“Because of such steep price, our farmers are forced to scrimp on fertilizers and this, in turn, affects their yield,” Binay said.

If elected, he said his administration would push community seed banking, seed buffer stocking and linking of seed producers with credit conduits, all of which could lessen the cost of seeds.

He also said he would ensure subsidies for fertilizers and would encourage local government units (LGUs) to teach their farmers to produce their own fertilizers, citing the case of Bayawan City in Negros Oriental, where the city government gives four bags of fertilizers for every 70 bags of organic fertilizer a farmer produces.