Sa kabila ng pagsisikap ng mga magsasaka, umaaray sila sa epekto ng dagsa ng imported na bigas sa bansa. Ang presyo ng lokal na bigas ay nasa ₱38 hanggang ₱63 kada kilo, habang ang imported na bigas ay mas mababa, nasa ₱36 hanggang ₱62 kada kilo.
Dahil dito, napipilitang ibaba pa lalo ng mga lokal na magsasaka ang presyo ng kanilang palay na nagiging isang malaking dagok sa kanilang kabuhayan.
Panoorin ang ‘Fake Rice For Sale?’ dokumentaryo ni John Consulta sa #IWitness.
Dahil dito, napipilitang ibaba pa lalo ng mga lokal na magsasaka ang presyo ng kanilang palay na nagiging isang malaking dagok sa kanilang kabuhayan.
Panoorin ang ‘Fake Rice For Sale?’ dokumentaryo ni John Consulta sa #IWitness.
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FunTranscript
00:00The biggest threat to this kind of modus operandi
00:06is the small number of farmers.
00:13Nueva Ecija is the territory of the Rice Gallery of the country.
00:19In 2024, almost 10% of the rice produced in the Philippines came from the province.
00:30Yusebio Armavit has been a farmer here for almost three decades.
00:35He is the president of the Illegators Association in their district.
00:40How did you start farming? When did you start?
00:45I started in 1995.
00:48With God's mercy, we are still strong.
00:53We continue to farm.
00:55This is where we get our income for our children's education.
01:04The machinery provided by the Department of Agriculture is in their care.
01:11They say this is a big help to farmers like him.
01:16We have farm mechanizations that can quickly feed the farmers.
01:22We are able to harvest a lot of rice in a short period of time.
01:27In just one or two days, we can harvest a lot of rice.
01:36But even though their farming has become easier,
01:41they are still suffering from the effects of imported rice entering the country.
01:48We have to admit that this is a big loss for our farmers.
01:54I hope that when the time comes for the farmers to harvest,
02:01we will not neglect importing rice.
02:05We should know if our country should import rice.
02:10The price of local rice in the country is from Php 38 to Php 60 per kilo.
02:18But imported rice is from Php 36 to Php 58 per kilo.
02:28That is why they are forced to lower the price of their rice.
02:35Eusebio is lending money to small farmers.
02:40One of them is Rainier.
02:46After three months,
02:49this is the day he has been waiting for.
02:53The harvest.
02:56Sir, how do you feel? This is the day of the harvest.
03:00I am a bit sad.
03:01Why are you sad?
03:03Because of the price of local rice.
03:05We have been farming for a long time.
03:08Our income is low.
03:10We have been waiting for three months.
03:12We will not be able to pay the rent.
03:18He is lending his grandfather one and a half hectare of land.
03:23Farming is not a joke.
03:27One hectare is around Php 20,000 to Php 60,000.
03:32So in 1.5 hectares, you will get Php 100,000?
03:37Yes.
03:39Even if you buy a harvester,
03:42you will get Php 100,000.
03:45How much will you sell your land for?
03:51How much will you sell your land for?
03:56We will sell it for Php 17,000.
04:00We will sell it for Php 17,000.
04:03This is his lowest selling rice.
04:08He would have sold it for more
04:12if the rice was already dried.
04:14But because it is not allowed to sell rice to farmers
04:19and there is no facility to dry it,
04:22he has to sell the new rice at a low price
04:27so that it will not go bad.
04:31How much will you lose?
04:34It hurts my heart.
04:36I can't do anything.
04:38The price of rice is low.
04:40We will sell it at that price.
04:43Rainier used a harvester,
04:46but he borrowed it first.
04:49That is why he is hoping that he will have a good harvest.
04:54How much will you lose?
04:56I will lose Php 187,000.
05:00I will lose Php 57,000 to Php 2,659.
05:04My total loss is Php 181,203.
05:08Your total loss is Php 181,203 to Php 17,000.
05:13How much is this?
05:15This is your total loss, Php 181,203 to Php 17,000.
05:22It would be nice to think that Rainier will get the whole amount.
05:29But because there is a lot of work to do,
05:33he has already borrowed money from the farmers.
05:38It is just a small amount that he will be able to pay back.
05:43Sir, this is Php 20,000.
05:47How much will you lose?
05:50I don't know, sir.
05:53Php 161,000.
05:56Php 22,000.
05:58Php 22,000 more.
06:00Php 22,000 more.
06:02Php 22,000 more, sir.
06:05There is a lot of work to be done.
06:08There is still a lot of work to be done.
06:11This is Php 30,000 per hectare.
06:16Php 30,000 per hectare.
06:18Is it big or small?
06:20It is small, sir.
06:22We have three of us.
06:24At least his assistant is earning a lot of money.
06:26Php 30,000 per hectare.
06:28Php 30,000 per hectare.
06:30Php 30,000 per hectare.
06:32For more than three months of farming.
06:36So, you are in debt again?
06:38Yes.
06:40So, you are just going to keep on going?
06:42It is a debt of payment.
06:44If the price of rice increases,
06:47I will be able to pay the next day.
06:50Is it better for you?
06:52Yes.
06:56Php 30,000 per hectare.
06:58Php 30,000 per hectare.
07:00The government is favoring us not to farm.
07:04They are favoring us to farm.
07:07They are trying to lower the price of rice.
07:11Php 30,000 per hectare.
07:13We would rather sell our rice than import rice from India.
07:17Our rice is being sold here in Nueva Ecija.
07:22Our rice is being sold.
07:24Our rice is being sold.
07:26Because of the government.
07:28But if they don't do that,
07:30and they import rice from other countries,
07:33the price of our rice here in Nueva Ecija will increase.