MANILA, Philippines — Farmers’ group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) yesterday asked the Department of Agriculture (DA) to inspect cold storage facilities for possible hoarding of ginger amid the spike in its retail price despite importation.
“That (hoarding) is possible, that’s why it is important to check the imported ginger as there is importation. The cold storage facilities should be checked,” SINAG chairman Rosendo So said.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said that at least 4,248 metric tons (MT) of imported ginger from China have arrived.
“That corresponds to 30 percent of the total volume that we are expecting. Most of the ginger came from China but we opened up (importation to other countries),” he said.
According to De Mesa, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. has allowed the importation as ginger-producing areas like Calabarzon and parts of Sierra Madre were affected by recent typhoons.
De Mesa said the retail price should only be below P100 per kilo.
So added that despite the current low production in Nueva Ecija, they expect the local production to normalize in November or December.
Based on monitoring of the DA in Metro Manila markets, the retail price of ginger ranged between P220 and P350 per kilo.
SINAG also asked the Supreme Court to issue a temporary restraining order against Executive Order 62, which allowed a lower tariff on imported rice, saying the revenue losses reached P6.2 billion but the retail price of the staple remains high.
“The retail price of imported rice did not move. Based on the data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority, the difference on the well-milled rice was only 20 centavos, meaning the reduction of tariff did not help,” So said.
EO 62 took effect on July 7.
According to So, at least 1.15 million MT of imported grains have arrived since the implementation of EO 62.
“That’s about 23 million cavans of 50 kilos of rice. The National Economic and Development Authority should return the original tariff (of 35 percent) in imported rice. We already lost P6.2 billion (in tariff collection). Up to end of the year, the revenue losses will reach P12 billion,” So said.
He noted that the prevailing retail price of rice ranged between P50 and P52 per kilo.
“The P43 (per kilo) of rice can only be found in the Kadiwa centers but the retail price is not going down in the general market,” So said.
He noted that government authorities have vowed that the retail price of the grains will go down by as much as P7 per kilo with the implementation of EO 62.
Based on monitoring of the DA in the Metro Manila markets, the retail price of imported regular milled rice is sold as high as P48 per kilo; imported well-milled rice, as high as P55 per kilo; imported premium rice, as high as P60 per kilo and imported special rice, as high as P63 per kilo.
Peasant leaders led by SINAG, Federation of Free Farmers, United Broiler Raisers Association, Sorosoro Ibaba Development Cooperative and Magsasaka party-list have asked the high tribunal to declare the order null and void and unconstitutional.