Photo Release

Cooperatives Being Used in Rice Smuggling: Sen. Francis Pangilinan on Friday, October 16, 2020, observes that some farmer cooperatives, in collusion with big rice importers, were given import permits and somehow benefitted from rice smuggling. Pangilinan also noted that the income of farmer cooperatives increased from P7 million to P62 million this year after local government units (LGUs) and national government agencies such as the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD) directly buy palay from farmers. Agriculture Sec. William Dar, during the hearing of the Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform on Joint Resolution No. 12 authorizing the use of the excess collection of the Bureau of Customs for the Year 2020 under the Rice Tariffication Law as Cash Assistance for the Rice Farmers to be included in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 2021, said he will issue an order banning cooperatives from importing rice. (Screen grab/Senate PRIB)