DURING the height of the debate on the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), its detractors complained that the loss of the government's monopoly power to regulate importation was the main reason behind falling palay (unmilled rice) prices though rice prices remained high at the retail level. As a result, they lobbied hard (and are still doing so) to retain the state's regulatory power.

Empirical evidence shows that while there is indeed a decrease in prices received by palay farmers, this usually occurs during the height of the harvest season. In other words, the RTL is not the major reason for low palay prices but the inadequate availability of postharvest facilities like driers, milling centers and storage that will enable farmers to sell at a later date when prices are higher.

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