THE livestock sector, led by hog raisers, has opposed a “floor price” scheme proposed by corn farmers as one way of helping them cope with the spike in the prices of production inputs like fertilizer.

The National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI) said market forces should determine the price of corn and not the National Food Authority (NFA).

“We do not agree to the floor- price proposal. If that is the case, then we will also ask the government to allow us to also impose a floor price for hogs,” said NFHFI vice chairman Renato Eleria.

Eleria said the basic law of supply-and-demand should influence the price of any produce and not the government.

“Like the corn farmers, we also have to contend with the increase in the price of so many things. They’re not the only ones who are affected,” he said.

Earlier, Philippine Maize Federation Inc. (Philmaize) president Roger Navarro proposed that the NFA under the Department of Agriculture, should mandate the buying of more corn directly from farmers and to impose a floor price of P13 per kilogram.

Navarro said the proposal is one way of allowing local corn farmers to cope with the unabated spike in the price of fertilizer and other production inputs.

Philmaize warned that if corn farmers will not be allowed to raise their prices to cover the increases in production cost, farmers will be discouraged from planting, and this will result in a possible shortage in corn next year.

The spike in fertilizer prices is the single biggest headache of most Filipino farmers as it nearly tripled this year to P2,000 per bag, from P800 registered a year ago.

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Livestock sector bucks floor price for corn

THE livestock sector, led by hog raisers, has opposed a “floor price” scheme proposed by corn farmers as one way of helping them cope with the spike in the prices of production inputs like fertilizer.

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