The Department of Agriculture (DA) stated that the enhanced anti-smuggling legislation, along with other measures, would aid in safeguarding the agricultural industry.

Last Friday, Jan. 26, Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. consulted the vegetable industry stakeholders on how to improve farm livelihood and increase income in the Cordillera region.

“This consultation would create policies according to your suggestions and are in line with the current administration’s goal to improve the lives of Filipinos,” he told the vegetable farmers.

During the meeting, farmers raised concerns about the high cost of farm inputs including fertilizers, seeds, and pesticides; the lack of market outlets; unrecognized foodlane pass by authorities; and the existing smuggling issue.

The DA assured that there will be trading laws implemented to ensure the strict implementation of Executive Order (EO) 41, which restricts the fee collection by local government units (LGU) from vehicles transporting goods.

Tiu Laurel underlined the importance of pushing grave sanctions on agri-smugglers, stating “We won’t stop until we capture, punish, and detain smugglers as this is the prime directive of President Marcos.”

The Anti-Agricultural Smuggling Act or the Republic Act (RA) No. 10845 was approved for its third and final reading last September of 2023, as it classifies rice and other agricultural smuggling as economic sabotage that is punishable by life imprisonment.

Other strategies, such as reducing the production cost of farmers and boosting income, the DA chief said that they will focus on providing enough food supply, lowering commodity prices, and improving agricultural efficiency at a minimized cost.

“Cabbage, tomato, carrots, and potatoes stakeholders are important and are prioritized by the government,” he reassured during the discourse.

The dialogue welcomed suggestions from key officials, farmer leaders, traders, truckers, market facilitators, agricultural extension workers, LGU agriculturists from Benguet, Ifugao, and Mountain Province.

Because of this, Tiu Laurel also pledged to establish branches of facilities similar to those in the Food Terminal Inc., build market outlets for Good-Agricultural Practice (GAP)-certified products, expansion of KADIWA markets, and support the cut flower industry by generating jobs.

Meanwhile, the DA noted the need to improve trading center operations after inspecting the Benguet Agri Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) in La Trinidad.

He assured that all of stakeholder concerns would be addressed to elevate the agriculture sector.