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By Ma. Ester L. Espina, Correspondent
BACOLOD CITY: About a thousand small- and
medium-sugar planters from nine farmers’ organization all over
Negros Occidental trooped to the streets on Saturday, July 19, to
seek Malacañang’s intervention against the exorbitant cost of
fertilizers.
The planters believe a fertilizer cartel
is behind the unabated cost of farm inputs, coupled with sugar
smuggling.
Majority in black shirts, the farmers
marched with a crocodile effigy that stands for the alleged
fertilizer syndicate and a black casket which, they say signifies
the demise of the small members of the sugar industry should there
be no immediate intervention from the national government.
The group lighted candles in front of the
Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) Office to show their
resentment against what they claim is “inaction on the part of
government” before proceeding to the public plaza where a prayer
rally was held.
The farmers slammed the SRA for the persistence
of sugar smuggling. They claimed that the creation of the
Anti-Smuggling Task Force has not stopped the cartel.
“The culprits of sugar smuggling stay
unshackled with operations obviously so well-organized,
well-planned, well-coordinated and well-financed,” Nadi Arceo of
Unifarms and Vice-Mayor of Hinigaran town said.
“We believe sugar smuggling can be stopped if
government get their acts together, gather the support of the whole
industry and not just listen to the voice of big sugar planters, but
more importantly that of small and medium sugar farmers,” Arceo
said, adding that they comprise more than 70 percent of the entire
sugar industry.
“We are appealing for national
government, particularly the Department of Agriculture to start
importation of fertilizer for sugar farmers too as this may be the
only way to save the future of the sugar industry,” he added.
Arceo said if government will import, the
farmers will be spared about P500 per sack of fertilizer.
“Currently, cost of fertilizer has reached P1,800, almost doubled
than what we were paying last year,” Arceo said, adding that
importing the same will only be at a maximum of P1,300 per sack or
even lower.
“A P500 savings per sack for us small
planters will be a huge help,” said Arceo.
While government has started its subsidy
program on fertilizers in cooperation with local government units,
these were made available only to rice producers.
This scheme was criticized by Fr. Cris
Villanueva, parochial vicar of the San Sebastian Cathedral who
condemned President Gloria Arroyo for the P500 subsidy given to rice
farmers saying, “The President is simply bribing the poor through
this subsidy.”
The provincial council earlier endorsed a
letter to the President asking for intervention as well.
Sugar farmers’ organization that joined the
rally included members of SONEDCO, BIPA, Dacongcogon Sugar Planters,
IPODI, KABILOG, Solid Planters’ Association, Sagay Makaisa Multi
Purpose Cooperative and Unifarms
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