RICE TARIFFS exceeding the P10-billion funding minimum for rice competitiveness will finance a crop diversification program and expanded crop insurance, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.

Citing a report by the Bureau of Customs (BoC), the DA said that tariffs collected from imported rice in 2019 amounted to P12.1 billion.

The DA said that according to Republic Act No. 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law, of all rice tariffs collected yearly, P10 billion is automatically appropriated for the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF). RCEF will provide farmers machinery and equipment, certified inbred seed, credit and training.

“We have been encouraging rice farmers, particularly those tilling rainfed and marginal lands, to plant other crops that would generate bigger income, and more importantly instill in them the need to insure their crops,” Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar said.

“It is auspicious that we can pursue both initiatives using the excess tariff collections from imported rice, as provided under the Rice Tariffication Law or Republic Act 11203,” Mr. Dar added.

Mr. Dar said the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P10 billion earlier this year to fund RCEF initiatives.

“On April 13, we requested DBM Secretary Wendel E. Avisado to release the excess rice tariff collections to fund our crop diversification program and expanded crop insurance program on rice,” Mr. Dar said.

In response to the recent BoC report, Mr. Dar said farmers’ groups have pushed for the immediate release of the excess rice tariff collections worth P2.1 billion.

From the P2.1 billion, the DA is requesting the DBM to allot P1 billion for the crop diversification and P1.1 billion for expanded crop insurance. — Revin Mikhael D. Ochave

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