AMID record-high inflation and unstable petroleum prices, an alliance composed of the Philippines’ biggest agricultural organizations has pledged to help improve the economy by addressing high food prices.

The agricultural alliance composed of the Philippine Association of Feed Millers Inc. (PAFMI), the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. (NFHFI), the National Federation of Egg Producers of the Philippines Inc. (NFEPP) and the Philippine Association of Broiler Integrators Inc. (PABI) is taking steps to make food affordable to Filipino consumers.

According to data from the National Statistics Office, the overall inflation rate recently rose to 12.2 percent, surpassing forecasts set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, which expected inflation to reach about 11 percent. The current 12.2-percent inflation rate is the highest in almost 17 years.

Although world crude oil prices have decreased from peak levels, prices of food and other products remain high.

“We are taking steps to cushion the impact of high food prices in this atmosphere of record-high inflation, unstable fuel and diesel prices, weakening peso and the worldwide economic slump,” said Renato Eleria, spokesman for the agricultural alliance.

“One of the steps we’ve taken to lower food prices is to urge the government to take the necessary legislative action,” said Eleria, who also serves as an officer of the National Federation of Hog Farmers.

PAFMI, NFHFI, NFEPP and PABI have called for the removal of duty rates on certain feed ingredients and products under the “sensitive and highly sensitive lists” of the Asean-China Free Trade Agreement on Trade In Goods. These ingredients are soybeans, soybean meal, dried distillers grain soluble, tapioca residue pellets, wheat and cassava.

According to the agricultural alliance, the removal of tariffs levied on raw materials will provide economic relief to feed millers, poultry producers, hog farmers and industry stakeholders.

This will result in reasonably priced food products, which consumers can afford to purchase.

“Moreover, this will benefit backyard hog and poultry raisers, which comprise more than half of the industry,” Eleria said.

Cutting import duties on feed items will help feed millers, poultry and egg producers and hog farmers cope with current market conditions without passing on high-production costs to consumers, the alliance said.

27 UP professors support ‘long-overdue’ RH bill

TWENTY-SEVEN University of the Philippines (UP) professors have joined the reproductive health bill debate and expressed their support for House Bill 16, or the Reproductive Health, Responsible Parenthood and Population Development (RH) Bill, in a position paper where they said the measure could be an efficient instrument of national population policy.

Timor Leste grants access to RP fishing operators

TIMOR Leste has agreed to grant fishing licenses to Filipino fishing operators under a memorandum of agreement (MOA) it signed with the Philippine government.

Foreign biz chamber excludes from expo in QC firms hiring for abroad

THE Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce (JFC) excluded companies hiring for abroad in their jobs expo to focus on generating local employment.

Agri alliance vows to help ease high food prices

AMID record-high inflation and unstable petroleum prices, an alliance composed of the Philippines’ biggest agricultural organizations has pledged to help improve the economy by addressing high food prices.

MRL Gold to spend $12M more for its nickel mining site in Surigao

MRL Gold Philippines Inc. will spend at least $12 million more for its nickel mining site in Surigao over the next three years before it can complete its exploration stage and then proceed to the $500-million mineral processing operation.

Raw seaweed production seen to drop 60%

THE outlook for the production of raw seaweed this year is quite grim as the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines (SIAP) has projected it may drop by 60 percent due mainly to global warming.