Zamboanga City backs establishment of Tawi-Tawi rice trading center

THE ZAMBOANGA City government has expressed support for the proposal of Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol to establish a rice trading center in the island province of Tawi-Tawi to regulate the entry of what would have been smuggled rice. Mayor Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar, in a statement, said the city will benefit from this in terms of stabilizing rice supply. “We will abide by our agricultural and economic leaders and managers to craft what is best in order to have enough supplies of rice in the region especially in our city,” she said. Ms. Climaco added that this plan will not affect local rice producers, who produce a minimal share out of total demand. “It will not affect the interest of the local farmer, they are only producing 13% yield for the city,” the mayor said. —Albert F. Arcilla