RICE CRISIS IN THE PHILIPPINES? Filipinos consume an average of 140 kg each of rice per year, or a total of 12.95 million tonnes in 2012. However, various rice supply crises, including the 2008 sporadically threaten access to their staple food. On the net, self-sufficient exporters from the 80, the Philippines became rather net importers in 1993. Since 2005, they are at the top of the world rice importers. But how are they reached such a turnaround? If the accession to the Agreement on Agriculture ( AOA ) of the World Trade Organization ( WTO ) in 1995 required the Philippines to abolish protectionist measures in the agricultural sector, however, they could maintain a quota on rice. However, following a supply crisis in the early 90s, the Philippine government has gradually increased its rice imports to exceed the limit established by the quota: 263 000 tonnes in 1995, they imported already 1.5 million in 2005. This had the effect of keeping prices low, which had the effect of discouraging domestic production which, in turn, increased the uncertainty of supply staple food of a population growing. It is in this context that broke the crisis of 2008. While rice rice prices maxing following a widespread sense of scarcity (of more than $ 380 $ 1,000 during the first months of 2008 only), the Philippines has revised its imports to 2.3 million tonnes (instead of the expected 1.5 million) to overcome a supposed advance of supply crisis. However, the union employees of the NFA adamant the lack of a domestic rice shortage that year. Domestic rice production this year (16.82 million tons), which ranked the Philippines 8 th largest global producers of rice (5 th among the ASEAN countries), would actually have been more than sufficient to fill the 13.1 million tons of rice consumed that year. However, rice imports continued on the same trend. In 2009, it was 2.5 million tonnes were imported. Why this practice she continues if domestic production could in many cases be sufficient to meet demand? Some are in corruption an important explanatory factor. Unlike domestic rice purchases, buying foreign rice would allow purchasers to receive large commissions, which would be proportional to the price paid . Such an argument would at least explain why the Philippines has purchased a large quantity of rice at a high price in 2008, while the urgency to meet domestic demand does not appear obvious. Scandals such as the participation of the former Minister of Agriculture Arthur Yap to import 600 000 tonnes of corrupt Indian rice in 2002 undoubtedly contribute to establish links between corruption and massive rice importation. However, despite the possibly important role of corruption in the issue of rice in the Philippines, be limited to such an explanation is somewhat simplistic. The IRRI (International Institute of Rice Research) argues that the lack of available infrastructure and land also plays an important role. The increase in productivity is particularly limited by the decrease in cultivated land. Indeed, many hectares were dedicated to rice cultivation now home to shopping malls, industries or golf courses. In 20 years, the country would have lost nearly half of its irrigated land due to the expansion of urban development. Then, it seems that the poor development of rural infrastructure also contributes to the rice supply problems in the Philippines. At the turn of the century, only 17% of the road network was paved (compared to 82% in Thailand and 75% in Malaysia) and only 1.34 million hectares were irrigated (on irrigated 4.68 million). In addition, the decline in prices following the massive imports probably also plays a role in creating a barrier to increasing local production, many farmers prefer to turn to other cultures better paid. Thus, despite the possibility that the Philippine government to protect domestic rice cultivation, he chose instead to import more and more, even if domestic production could, in most cases, satisfy demand internal. This strategy, whether motivated by corruption, lack of arable land or infrastructure deficiency remains serious consequences for some 2 million Filipino farmers growing rice (about 20% of the total workforce the country). Instead of investing in rural development projects in the long term, the Philippine government seems to prefer to ensure the supply of rice in the capital via easy solutions in the short term.
Posted on: Sat, 27 Dec 2014 21:48:07 +0000
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