PRES. DUTERTE STOPS
NFA RICE IMPORTATION
By Manny Piñol
Elated by reports of a bountiful paddy rice harvest in the First Quarter of 2017 and a dramatic increase in the average yield per hectare, President Rody Duterte yesterday announced that he has ordered the suspension of additional rice importations to protect the Filipino farmers.
‘Anong mukha ko na iharap ko sa farmers? Why would we allow importation to compete with local product?’ Hanggang ngayon, hindi ko mabasa anong ginawa nilang rason. Of course, hindi natuloy dahil binara ko. Subsequently, sabi ko, stop… Open market na tayo, pero you know, you have to protect the Filipino,” Pres. Duterte said in Talavera, Nueva Ecija where he attended the Rice Harvest Festival sponsored by SL Agritech, a private corporation deeply involved in the development of the hybrid rice industry.
