Zubiri Backs Local Farmers against Feed Wheat Imports

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri is lending his support to Mindanao farmers who are struggling against imported feed wheat.

Local farmers have approached the Mindanaoan senator to raise their predicament of having to compete with imported wheat feed in the market, amid the harvest season for locally produced corn.

This competition puts local farmers at a disadvantage, forcing them to drive their prices down, even below expected farmgate prices.

To assist them, Zubiri has reached out to Department of Agriculture Secretary William Dar to endorse their concerns. Sec. Dar has, in turn, promised Zubiri that he will look into the matter and direct the Bureau of Plant Industry to do the same.

"In line with our campaign to 'Buy Local' and support our local farmers and industries, I ask the Department of Agriculture to time the importation of feed wheat only during the lean season of local corn harvest or production, so as not to compete with our own farmers," Zubiri says.

"It is especially vital that we support our local farmers now, in this time of pandemic. We need to help them recover."