Sow and Reap

Tricia Mae G. Suazo

Failing Local Farmers

After President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Rice Tariffication Law which legalized restrictions on rice imports in the country, the government is now setting their eyes on sugar import liberalization.

With the high price and demands of agricultural crops in the Philippines, the national government is looking for possible solutions — one of which is to allow more imports of agricultural goods from other countries.

When it comes to the competitiveness of the Philippine local industry to countries with a top source of sugar imports like Thailand, there are possibilities that the estimated production of sugar will decrease to 2.079 million metric tons from the 2.23 million metric tons that were originally estimated.

The production of crops are not always stable, same with the earnings of Filipino farmers who sometimes resort to selling their products for a lower price when there is an increase in production. The current situation of sugar planting in the country is unfavorable for local farmers because they invest their blood and sweat to produce crops but do not receive the appropriate earnings.

Millions of Filipino farmers depend on the sugar industry to sustain their families’ needs. If the government will push through with the sugar import liberalization, it will not just fail in providing a source of living for Filipinos but also in valuing the role of the farmers whose primary source of living lies in agriculture.

If the country aims to meets its demands, it should focus on maximizing the production of local crops and promoting the welfare of Filipino farmers. If the government will continue to disregard the efforts of its own people who works for a living while contributing to the progress of economy, then who else will appreciate the significance of local products in the future.