Despite imports, rice retail price still high – group

Despite being the world's biggest rice importer, with at least 3.29 million metric tons imported, retail prices of the staple in the country remain high, rice watchdog group Bantay Bigas has bewailed.

- Bella Cariaso

Bantay Bigas spokesperson Cathy Estavillo cited the administration's dependence on rice imports from countries including Vietnam, Pakistan, Myanmar, India, China, Japan, Cambodia, Italy and Spain.

"The importation under the Rice Liberalization Law by President Marcos directly undermines the livelihoods of Filipino farmers and his issuance of Executive Order No. 62, which lowers rice import tariffs from 35 to 15 percent," Estavillo said.

Estavillo added that the importation is not a solution and did not benefit the consumers and also weakened the country's self-sufficiency and food security.