The rice tariffication act (RTA) has two major consequences: 1) lower price of rice to consumers, and 2) loss of income to rice farmers. The former remains to be seen but the latter is immediate and certain. From a high of P21.00 per kilogram farm gate price of palay, the average farm gate price of palay is now down to P17.00 per kilogram and in many places, even less.
The rice tariffication act (RTA) has two major consequences: 1) lower price of rice to consumers, and 2) loss of income to rice farmers. The former remains to be seen but the latter is immediate and certain. From a high of P21.00 per kilogram farm gate price of palay, the average farm gate price of palay is now down to P17.00 per kilogram and in many places, even less.
To make up for this loss of income of farmers, the RTA provided for free farm equipment, seeds, subsidized credit, and intensified farmers training and extension support.
This column underscores the value of small irrigation units which are made up of small water impounding projects, small diversion dams, and shallow tube wells, as interventions which will bring immediate and enduring relief to our beleaguered rice farmers.
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