Ada Pelonia

BROAD agriculture sector coalition Sinag has renewed calls to reinstate the 35-percent tariffs levied on rice imports as retail prices remain elevated.

The group made the pronouncement after the Department of Agriculture (DA) recently announced that the government will raise rice import duties to 20 percent from the current 15 percent levy starting January 2026.

“Our farmers are losing out, their farmgate prices are below production cost, yet consumers still suffer high prices at the retail level,” Sinag Chairman Rosendo So was quoted in the statement as saying.

So also noted that “no one” benefited from the policies promoted by Department of Economy, Planning, and Development (DepDev) under Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

The group said rice tariff cuts failed to translate into sustained retail price relief, even as global rice costs stabilized, citing government data and independent analyses.

It added that foreign rice shipments reached record volumes, which contributed to oversupply and placed downward pressure on local farmgate prices, often below production cost.

“Retail rice prices remain elevated in many markets, frustrating consumers and reinforcing perceptions that tariff reductions have failed to deliver on their promise of affordability.”

Meanwhile, Sinag said farmgate prices across major staples have also fallen below production costs.

This development has then pushed farmers deeper into losses, while retail prices remain high, thus leaving consumers with no relief from rising food costs, the group added.

“The government’s reliance on imports and tariff reductions has proven disastrous for the economy, undermining domestic food production while failing to lower prices for poor and vulnerable consumers.”

The group added that the “continuing failures of the current agricultural and economic policies have unfortunately been overshadowed by the controversy surrounding the multi-billion-peso flood control fund mess.”

“Natabunan lang ng billion-pesos flood control mess ang patuloy na kapalpakan ni Secretary Balisacan,” Sinag said.

Amid calls for the prosecution of those involved in the flood control controversy, the group urged the government to also act on what they described as “policy failures” by Balisacan, reiterating their demand for his removal from office.

Published Date: December 18, 2025