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MANILA, Philippines — Amid dire warnings by the United Nations of a looming scarcity of staple crops and rising meals costs because of the battle in Ukraine, three-term Senator Loren Legarda on Thursday referred to as on the nation’s financial managers to make sure meals safety by serving to Filipino farmers and fisherfolk.
Citing a report from the UN Worldwide Fund for Agricultural Growth (IFAD), Legarda stated Russia’s invasion of Ukraine final month has prevented grain shipments from the 2 nations which collectively account for roughly 25% of world wheat exports and 16% of corn exports. She stated the disaster is now being felt in a number of the world’s poorest nations, together with the Philippines.
Legarda stated some nations like Turkey reportedly banned wheat flour exports to safe its personal wants. Subsequent to Ukraine, she stated Turkey is likely one of the Philippines’ largest sources of wheat flour, the primary ingredient for bread, the staple pan de sal and different meals merchandise.
“The battle in Ukraine is instructing us a really invaluable lesson: we can’t depend on different nations for our meals wants. We should produce our personal if we wish to guarantee our survival and meals safety,” she confused.
Whereas the Philippines doesn’t produce wheat, Legarda stated native farmers produce a whole lot of corn. However as a substitute of getting assist from the Division of Agriculture (DA), their livelihood is being threatened by plans to chop tariffs and improve allowable import volumes.
“Corn is vital not just for the animal feed trade but in addition for our meals wants. Tens of millions of Filipinos eat corn as a staple or combine it with rice. That makes it an important crop,” she defined.
Nonetheless, some members of the financial group are contemplating a discount within the corn tariff to 5 p.c for in-quota imports beneath the minimal entry quantity (MAV) scheme from 35 p.c, and to fifteen p.c for out-quota imports.
“This might kill the native corn trade and the 62.5 million Filipinos counting on corn farming and its associated industries. Apart from, why import when native corn is cheaper, if not higher, than imports?” she requested.
Legarda stated the identical is true with rice, pork, hen, fish and even greens. “The Philippines considers itself an agricultural nation however Filipino farmers don’t appear to get the assist they want. As an alternative, we’re counting on imports for our meals wants,” she confused.
If reelected to the Senate, Legarda stated she would assist empower farmers by offering them a strategic mixture of coverage and funding assist to assist them modernize and compete globally. “I’ve many buddies within the agri sector who say that they don’t want any funding from authorities. All they want is a coverage setting favorable to native producers and never importation as a ‘fast repair’ answer to our meals wants,” she confused.
/MUF
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