Livestock, poultry raisers back DA

By Freddie G. Lazaro

VIGAN CITY — Livestock raisers from Region 1 have expressed full support to the move of the Department of Agriculture to exclude their products as “bargaining chip” in negotiating with the World Trade Organization (WTO) for the three-year extension of the country’s quantitative restrictions (QR) on rice import.

Swine Development Council convenor and Abono Party-list group’s chairman Rosendo So stressed that the inclusion of the livestock and poultry products as bargaining chip for the QR’s negotiation for extension on rice import would probably make a too low tariff on their products which would be detrimental to the industry.

According to So, the livestock and poultry sectors represent 25 percent of the country’s agriculture, with a combined production value of P320 billion annually.

In the past, the livestock and poultry sectors were used as bargaining chips by the government in negotiating for an extension on the quantitative restriction on rice in which tariff on livestock and poultry products were made too low causing the increase on importation of meat products in the local markets. Livelihood, jobs and government revenues were lost because of the low tariff on the livestock and poultry products.

This time, Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala has assured that the interest of the local livestock and poultry producers will not be sacrificed when the Philippines renegotiates for the extension of the qualitative restriction on rice.

“We expressed our utmost thanks to our Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala on his verbal assurance that the livestock and poultry sectors will not be used as bargaining chips in the renegotiation for another extension on the quantitative restriction for rice,” So said.

“We extend our hand of support in your quest to uplift the lives of the people in the agricultural sector,” So added. .

The Philippines is currently in talks with the WTO for the extension on limits on the importation of rice, which have been enjoyed by country since June 2006.