A total of 23 provinces will shift from planting rice to other crops and hog raising based on the draft of an industry road map crafted by the government which details its strategies for boosting the competitiveness of the rice sector.
The Philippine Rice Industry Roadmap, which the government is currently finalizing, indicated that the 23 provinces are more competitive in producing other agricultural products. The crafting of the PRIR was mandated by the rice trade liberalization law, which took effect on March 5.
Under the draft PRIR, the government will prioritize public investments, particularly the roll out of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), in 57 out of the 80 rice-producing provinces in the country.
The draft blueprint will still undergo further contextual analysis before it is submitted to the chief of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
The latest draft was based on previous consultations with rice industry stakeholders, which was started during the time of former Agriculture Chief Emmanuel F. Piñol.
Using a set of criteria, the DA identified “high-priority” provinces that would benefit from government programs that aim to make production in their localities more competitive.
The criteria covered yield, area harvested, cost of production, and percentage of irrigated area harvested, according to the draft blue print.
These high-priority provinces, according to the road map, “have medium to high yield” (above 3 metric tons per hectare) and their palay production costs are less than P16.94 per kilogram, the break-even farm-gate price under the new rice trade regime.
“The remaining 23 provinces, which are not included in the priority for rice, will be the focus of support for transitioning rice players in these provinces to other crops and industries that are mainly produced in their localities,” read the draft road map, a copy of which was obtained by the BusinessMirror.
Under the road map, the 23 non-priority rice provinces would be transitioned to various commodities and industries, such as abaca, banana, cassava, cattle, coconut, high value vegetables, livestock, poultry and rubber.
The 23 non-priority rice provinces that would undergo transition are: Catanduanes (abaca), Abra (banana), Apayao and Tawi-Tawi (cassava), Batanes, Guimaras, Sulu (banana), Eastern Samar (coconut) and Benguet (high-value vegetables).
Rizal, Marinduque, Romblon, Camarines Norte, Siquijor, Northern Samar, Camiguin, Surigao del Norte, and Dinagat Islands, Cebu and Batangas will shift to hog rearing and poultry-raising.
Farmers in Mountain Province will be encouraged to plant potatoes and high-value vegetables. Those in Zamboanga del Norte will be asked to go into poultry-raising, while Basilan planters will cultivate rubber.
The PRIR is seen as a crucial instrument that will help farmers transition to a liberalized trade regime.
Under the implementing rules and regulations of Republic Act 11203, or the rice trade liberalization law, the road map shall guide the government’s programs, particularly those funded by the RCEF, for the rice industry.
The law mandates that rice tariff collections exceeding P10 billion could be used for “productivity-enhancement programs for rice farmers seeking to diversify production toward other crops.”