Small planters vow to continue fight vs. high fertilizer cost
BACOLOD CITY -- Small planters groups here are determined to fight the exorbitant cost of fertilizer unless government would act favorably on their legitimate concerns.
Hinigaran town Vice Mayor and United farmers Association of South Negros Inc. (Unifarms) president Jose Nadie Arceo said that the situation of small and medium sugarcane and rice farmers had gone from bad to worst due to the continued unabated increase of the price of chemical-based fertilizers.
The group also scored DA Sec. Arthur Yap for engaging in double talk and warned him of massive protest against continued government inaction on sugar and fertilizer cartels.
He said that small and medium sugarcane and rice farmers are getting impatient with the continued inaction and utter helplessness of the national government particularly the Department of Agriculture against the alleged fertilizer cartels and sugar smuggling.
Secretary Yap said earlier that his office is very supportive of the plans of Sugar Regulatory Administration and Philippine Sugar Research Institute to directly import chemical-based fertilizers and make sure that cheap farm input could be readily available for farmers.
However, he seemed to be singing a different tune when he admitted to sugarcane planter members of Planters Association of Southern Negros (Pason) in an assembly that the government has no plans of directly importing fertilizers and is helpless in curbing sugar smugglers and fertilizer cartels," Arceo said.
They rejected the statement of Yap that the government is helpless and there seems to be nothing else that can be done aside from importing fertilizer and offering loan and appealing for small farmers to diversify.
The group said that exorbitant cost of fertilizer symbolizes government's neglect to the agriculture sector.
Moreover, Arceo and Rep. Ignacio T. Arroyo, (Neg. Occ., 5th District) met Saturday and discussed the concerns of the small planters.
Arroyo said that he will help them get answers from the national government.