Phillipines -Rice Issues

[Treyfish]

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" height=10>Govt taking right steps
in rice issue, says UN official
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=10>
The government is taking right steps to prevent a possible food crisis, an official of the United Nations? World Food Programme said Friday.<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O> </O>
?Initially, we wouldn?t have been so concerned about the Philippines because it already is responsible for growing internally about 85 percent of the food that it consumes,? Valerie Guarnieri, the World Food Programme?s country director in the Philippines, told local media.<O> </O>
Guarnieri said the government can fill up the remaining 15 percent by just making ?extra efforts? to get commitments from other countries to supply the food needed by the country, cable news network ANC reported.<O> </O>
She added that securing rice imports is one of the two best ways to prevent a food crisis in the country, which she said is being ?aggressively? pursued by the government.<O> </O>
President Gloria Arroyo had announced that Vietnam has committed to sell to the Philippines 1.5 million metric tons of rice, which she said will augment the country?s rice supply starting June.<O> </O>
President Arroyo had also said that she plans to convince Thailand to sell additional rice to Manila.<O> </O>
The Philippine government has also started the process of providing rice stubs to poor Filipinos, as well as other measures to mitigate the rising prices of rice.<O> </O>
The National Food Authority has started selling rice at P18.50 (about $0.44) per kilo in poor communities.<O> </O>
The other way to mitigate the increasing prices of staple needs is to provide food subsidies to the poor, which, Guarnieri said, is already being done by the government.<O> </O>
The World Food Programme official added that the increasing prices of rice, and its possible unavailability in the world market can turn out as a positive development for Philippine agriculture, especially for the farmers.<O> </O>
?Countries, including the Philippines, would have to ?reemphasize the need to look also at local production? now that there is a looming world food crisis, she said.<O> </O>
In the Philippines, Guarnieri added, the government should focus on measures on how to improve measures that would not only increase food security, but also ?benefit poor farmers.?<O> </O>

:tiphat:

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http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/apr/05/yehey/top_stories/20080405top2.html

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Phillipines -Rice Issues


NFA: Davao has enough rice supply


By Mai Gevera
Davao City (5 April) -- Although not a rice-producing area, the National Food Authority (NFA) in Davao City has assured the city's public of enough and sufficient rice supply especially in the coming lean months.
The city has a total of 484,000 bags now in NFA warehouses that includes household inventory, commercial as well as NFA inventory.
The said supply is believed to feed Dabawenyos on a 53-day inventory when calamities or any unexpected incident happens.
NFA XI Provincial Manager Lorenzo Camayang admitted that Davao City may be suffering from the alarming increase of commercial rice prices especially that residents in the city are rice eaters, not so much lovers of corn.
It is estimated that each person averagely consumes about.33 kilograms of rice per day and that Davao City residents consume up to 9,115 bags per day.
"Davao is not like Cebu that can substitute rice with corn. That is why we really make sure that all strategies that NFA are instructed to do must all be implemented." Camayang said.
He bared that the office is now expecting and preparing for the coming of a vessel of new shipments this April 9 which will bring in 134,000 bags from Thailand.
Also, the NFA is also preparing post harvest facilities, as well as warehouses as will start to repack their supply as a mechanism to ensure that NFA rice supply are not hoarded and are sold at the suggested retail price.
The office has also increased its Tindahan Natin outlets, which has now reached to 200 stores in the city alone. Each outlet is supplied with 21 bags per week while Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke are supplied with 91 bags per week.
Camayang bared that the office has recently recruited monitoring watchers who are hired to ensure that all NFA outlets are not committing any violations and abusing the buying public.
In order to ensure that NFA rice will be accessed by the low income buyers, the NFA has also implemented a policy limiting at least 2 to 3 kilograms of rice allowed to be bought by an individual buyer. "This is one mechanism to make sure that NFA rice supply will benefit not just a few but also those target buyers like the poor." he said. (PIA) [top] :tiphat: http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&sec=reader&fi=p080405.htm

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Phillipines -Rice Issues

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD width="100%" height=10>DOJ to use police powers vs. Rice hoarders
</TD></TR><TR><TD width="100%" height=10>By William B. Depasupil, Reporter<?XML:NAMESPACE PREFIX = O /><O> </O>
Justice Secretary Raul Gonzalez on Friday warned rice dealers that the government will not hesitate to use its police powers, including taking over rice warehouses, to protect the interest and welfare of the people, if warranted.<O> </O>
Gonzalez made the warning after rice traders and dealers threatened to go on a ?rice holiday? or stop selling rice in reaction to an earlier move by the National Food Authority (NFA) to suspend the licenses of some of their members as a move against hoarding and overpricing.<O> </O>
The Justice secretary explained that the state is vested by the Constitution with the legal authority to adopt preemptive measures to avert possible chaos and lawlessness that may arise in certain situations, such as stopping the selling of rice.<O> </O>
The rice traders claimed that they will be at a disadvantage if the NFA bars them from retailing rice, even if only temporarily.<O> </O>
Such threat against the government, Gonzalez said, is unacceptable because rice traders have the duty to sell rice to the people.<O> </O>
?We will not accept that. They [dealers] should also know their obligation to the people. If they do that, we will take over their warehouses, we will use police powers vested in us in the Constitution,? he told reporters.<O> </O>
The Justice chief said stopping selling of rice amounts to hoarding and is considered economic sabotage, a non-bailable offense that is punishable with life imprisonment.<O> </O>
A rice holiday would mean hunger to millions of poor families who live hand-to-mouth. <O></O>
There are some 5,000 rice retailers in Metro Manila alone. Rice-trading groups earlier threatened to stage a rice holiday that involves the 5,000 retailers.<O> </O>
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap appealed to the rice traders for their patience and understanding.<O> </O>
The Justice department, through the newly created Anti-Rice Hoarding Task Force, is working with the Agriculture department and the food authority in building up possible cases against rice hoarders.<O> </O>
Also on Friday, it mobilized all government prosecutors throughout the country to ensure speedy prosecution of rice traders and dealers found violating the law.<O> </O>
?We mean business here. These rice hoarders are giving the government a lot of headache,? Gonzalez said even as he gave his assurance that due process will be strictly observed in all phases of operations against the hoarders.<O> </O>
He disclosed that aside from Cebu and Bulacan, the task force is also targeting a number of warehouses in his home province of Iloilo in the Visayas region.<O> </O>
?I went to the National Bureau of Investigation in Iloilo to inspect some warehouses there, it seems there is a similar situation there,? Gonzalez said. ?I instructed the [bureau] to gather more evidence.?<O> </O>
He stressed, though, that warehouses found full of sacks of rice do not necessarily mean that their owners are rice hoarders.<O> </O>
?If we inspect the warehouse of a suspected hoarder, we will have to see how fast rice is brought in or out,? Gonzalez said. ?If the movement of rice there is fast and if the owner can present the corresponding documents to prove it, there would be no basis to charge the trader.?<O> </O>
On orders of President Gloria Arroyo, Gonzalez formed the task force last Wednesday as the prosecutorial arm of the government?s campaign against rice hoarding.<O> </O>
In creating the task force, he said, he wanted rice hoarders charged with ?economic sabotage,? a non-bailable offense punishable with life imprisonment. According to him, they could also be charged with plunder, another unbailable offense that used to carry the death penalty. President Arroyo had abolished capital punishment, though.<O> </O>
The task force is also looking at so-called rice cartels that reportedly corner government-subsidized rice in connivance with allegedly corrupt personnel of the NFA. The cartels later repack and sell government rice at much higher prices in the retail market.

:tiphat: http://www.manilatimes.net/national/2008/apr/05/yehey/top_stories/20080405top4.html
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[Treyfish]

Re: Phillipines -Rice Issues


NFA now escorts rice delivery to outlets


by Rachelle Nessia
Dumaguete City (3 April) -- The National Food Authority (NFA) here is now strictly monitoring the delivery of NFA rice to its accredited outlets in Negros Oriental.
Starting this week, NFA personnel are escorting the transport of NFA rice to NFA-accredited outlets here such as Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palenke, Tindahan Natin and Handog sa Parokya, disclosed NFA Information Officer Rolando Lazalita.
The move, which is based on an order from NFA's central office for nationwide implementation, is aimed at ensuring that the rice bags bought from NFA's warehouses will reach its intended accredited outlets.
There have been allegations that NFA rice bags from the warehouse do not reach the accredited outlets as they are sold along the way. "Dili kuno kaabot sa intended outlets, na'ay baligyaan along the way. But these are only allegations," said Lazalita, adding that this violation is not rampant in the province.
NFA will also be fielding monitoring teams to implement the Palengke Watch by monitoring NFA-accredited outlets. "We will especially monitor the outlets where we hear reports of rice diversion, or ibalhin ug laing sako ang NFA rice then sold as commercial rice," he said.
NFA rice only costs P18.25 per kilo while commercial or local rice is now sold for as high as P40.00.
Lazalita explained that consumers can tell the difference between NFA rice and the commercial rice from its looks and taste. "NFA rice looks different because it is long-grained in shape and white in color, whereas some of the commercial rice has short grains and looks flimsy and transparent," he said.
"Once cooked, the NFA rice kusog mutubo that is why we call it economical rice. Ang commercial or local rice, hinay mutubo," Lazalita added.
The NFA information officer urged consumers to be careful with the rice they buy. "If you suspect that you bought NFA rice that was sold off as commercial rice, please bring a sample of the rice to the NFA office," he said.
Lazalita assured that complaints will be handled with "utmost confidentiality."
Complaints may also be phoned in thru 225=2823, 422-1731 and 225-6522. "Just tell us the location of the store and we will verify the complaint," said Lazalita.
He also warned the rice agency's retailers that violations of NFA's policies with regards to the distribution of NFA rice to accredited outlets will be penalized.
Agriculture Secretary Yap has earlier announced that NFA's direct method of distributing rice to the consumers in Manila in coordination with Mayor Lim, Manila City Hall employees, civil society and church groups will go full blast next week.
The rice distribution scheme in Manila is expected to be duplicated all over the country, especially in depressed areas where most of the poorest of the poor are found.
Yap clarified that the NFA is not going into rationing. "Dati na pong ginagawa ng NFA ang tatlo hanggang limang kilo lamang bilihan ng bigas but this time it would be selling the staple directly to consumers under the supervision of its personnel.
He said that according to his sources, the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) will issue a statement supporting the NFA rice distribution scheme.
Rice bags of three to five kilos shall be sold by the NFA in depressed areas and other places whose residents are in the DSWD list of qualified buyers. NFA rice may be bought for P18.25 per kilo, while the commercial variety will be available at P22, P25 and P26 a kilo.
Pres. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo said global supplies of rice were adversely affected by the cold spell in Vietnam and China, two of the biggest rice producers in the world. Hong Kong gets 80 percent of its rice needs from Vietnam. She said Philippine rice production this year has increased by 7 percent because of the country's expanding use of high-yielding rice variety, coupled with the use of irrigation facilities. She was quick to admit, however, that new mouths to feed have also increased -- by 6 percent. (PIA/RMN) [top] :tiphat: http://www.pia.gov.ph/default.asp?m=12&fi=p080403.htm&no=53

 

[Treyfish]

Re: Phillipines -Rice Issues

Philippines warned not to grain hoarding Offenders are punishable by life imprisonment
at 7:33 p.m. on April 4, 2008
Manila, April 4 news: The Philippine domestic rice supply shortage, the price of rice rose, some traders took the opportunity hoarding, the ill-gotten gains, the Philippines Attorney General Alberto Gonzales on the 3rd warning, warehouse owners and businesses found hoarding rice, will be charged with "economic sabotage or looting" the crime, if convicted, would be sentenced to life imprisonment.According to Lianhe Zaobao, Gonzalez said officials began in the central city of Cebu raided the illegal rice, and the Ministry of Justice is also found in Bulacan province north of Luzon 111 hoarding rice warehouse.

每座囤积了至少四万袋白米。​

Every hoarding at least 40,000 bags of rice.

他命令国家调查局?严密搜寻?奸商的证据，以便当局可能用?破坏经济或掠夺?的罪名提控他们。​

He ordered the National Bureau of Investigation "strictly Search" unscrupulous merchants evidence to the authorities might use "economic sabotage or looting" to the charges against them charged.
He said: "Our initial plan is to request the Filipino people with intelligence, because we are not engaging in persecution here."

他强调，奉公守法的商家和货仓业主不用担心。​

He stressed that the law-abiding businesses and warehouse owners need not worry.
He disclosed that President Arroyo ordered the military deployed 400 military vehicles shipped to succeed in the complaint metres must pay tolls when the truck driver. She recently ordered search operations and cancel the unscrupulous merchants of rice sold by the rice allowance permits, as well as from neighbouring countries such as Vietnam and Thailand to import large quantities of rice, in order to avoid shortage of rice.
Government, through the grain to ensure that the price of rice per kilogram remained at 18.25 pesos (about 47.1 pesos a dollar) level.

与此同时，军方调派士兵护送运输队，从马尼拉的国家粮食局仓库运载白米到贫民区应急。​

At the same time, the military deployed soldiers escorting convoys, from Manila warehouse of the National Food Authority carrying rice to slum emergency.

全国各地的士兵和警察，也奉命护送米粮、监督卖米和守卫粮食局的粮仓。​

All parts of the country soldiers and police, and was ordered to escort rice, and supervision to sell grain of rice and guarding the granary.

马尼拉军区司令梅萨少将说，军方?除了护送白米之外，也协助粮食局运输白米到人口稠密的贫困地区?。​

Mesa, Manila Military Region Commander Major-General said that the military "Apart from the escort rice, it also assist the transport of food rice to the poverty-stricken areas densely populated."

国家警察部队行动总监阿拉西奥发表声明说，警察奉命逮捕囤积白米的奸商和非法商人，守卫粮食局的粮仓，?预防白米及其他粮食价格暴涨对和平与治安的冲击。?​

Director of the National Police Force operations Alaxiao said in a statement, the police ordered the arrest of hoarding rice unscrupulous merchants and illegal businessmen, guarding the food granary, "Prevention of rice and other grain prices soared on the impact of peace and security."

他下令各省县警监同当地政府紧密合作，取缔白米的非法买卖，警察也将护送运米卡车，以确保粮食局的白米不会?运入非法货仓?。​

He ordered the provinces with the local county IPCC working closely with the Government to ban the illegal trade in rice, the police will escort transported Mika vehicles, in order to ensure food, the rice will not be "brought into the illegal storage."

(完)​

:tiphat: http://209.85.135.104/translate_c?hl=en&langpair=zh|en&u=http://news.qq.com/a/20080404/001091.htm

 

[hawkeye]

Re: Phillipines -Rice Issues

Rice (as well as other commodities) prices continue to climb. This is going to be a major issue...

 

[AlaskaDenise]

Re: Phillipines -Rice Issues

Rice (as well as other commodities) prices continue to climb. This is going to be a major issue...

Compounded by increased shipping costs due to higher fuel prices.

.

 

[Sally Furniss]

Re: Phillipines -Rice Issues

RP aims for 92% self-sufficiency in rice in 2008

Agence France-Presse
First Posted 03:09pm (Mla time) 04/05/2008
MANILA -- The Philippines is targeting 92 percent self-sufficiency in rice this year and 98 percent by 2010, an agricultural spokesman said Saturday.
The statement comes after President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced an ambitious multi-billion-peso plan to overhaul the country's agricultural sector to cope with the rising world price of food, particularly rice, the national diet staple.
This will be accomplished by restoring irrigation and post-harvest facilities, said Rex Estoperez, spokesman of the National Food Authority, the agency tasked with importing rice and monitoring the rice market.
He did not say how self-sufficient the Philippines was in rice but experts have previously estimated it at between 85 to 90 percent.
Speaking in an interview with ABS-CBN television, Estoperez said Arroyo had been upgrading the agriculture sector even earlier but the increase in population and the global rise in food prices had forced the government to step up its work.
He said that even with increased rice production, the country would still need to import, adding that it was still more expensive to produce rice in an archipelagic country like the Philippines compared with those with large land masses like Thailand and Viet Nam.
The government has previously announced plans to import 1.5 million tons of the staple cereal this year and has the capacity to import up to 2.7 million tons if needed.
Arroyo on Friday unveiled a plan to increase food production through increased spending on fertilizer, irrigation and infrastructure, education and research, credits for farmers, and distribution of higher-yielding seeds.
She did not give a total for how much would be spent and even local newspapers gave differing figures ranging from P36.5 billion ($874 million) to P48.7 billion.
Arroyo had said some of the funds would come from government financial institutions, foreign aid and multilateral institutions such as the Asian Development Bank.
She said she hoped spending for these programs would not jeopardize her target of balancing the budget this year.
"We are close to balancing the budget. We will try to balance the budget even with all the expenditures we will have to make," she said.
The country is one of the world's biggest importers of rice and not even increases in local production have been able to meet the demand of the growing 90-million-strong population.
In 2007 Manila imported 1.871 million tons of rice, mostly from Vietnam with a little from Thailand.
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.php?article_id=128592