Tama na ang satsat at solusyunan ang problema sa bigas.

Ito ang mensahe ng samahan ng mga magsasaka na Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) kay Pangulong Rodrigo Duterte na dapat kaagad resolbahin ang problema sa supply at tumataas na presyo ng bigas.

Sa halip na “loose talks”, sinabi ni KMP chairman Danilo Ramos na dapat gumawa ng malaking hakbang ang gobyerno at magpatupad ng epektibong mga reporma sa polisiya.

“Duterte must exercise strong political will in dismantling the rice cartel and castigating corrupt officials within the National Food Authority and Department of Agriculture. Duterte must also junk the rice importation policy and effect significant reforms that will protect local rice farmers and the domestic rice industry. If he fails to do these, then he is not at all serious nor capable in addressing the country’s food security issues,” ani Ramos.

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“We expect this issue of high rice prices, dwindling supply of affordable rice, and opposition to rice tariffication to drag on until the end of the year and for as long as the Duterte administration sticks to its rice importation policy and takes the side of inefficient National Food Authority (NFA) and Department of Agriculture (DA) officials like Jason Aquino and Manny Pinol,” idinagdag niya.

Binanggit ni Ramos na paulit-ulit na inamin ng gobyerno na umiiral ang rice cartel at mayroong rice hoarders na nagdudulot ng problema ng bansa.

Sinabi niyang alam rin ng pamahalaan ang lokasyon ng mga bodega ng bigas ng private traders na nagtatago ng supply.

“We want to see concrete actions on how Duterte will punish rice hoarders and put an end to the syndicate of traders operating within the rice cartel,’’ giit ni Ramos.