The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) asked Congress to broaden the use of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) to fortify the entire rice seed system.
“If we focus only on the distribution of free seeds, the whole program will collapse once funding from RCEF is phased out. All our efforts to promote and sustain the use of quality seeds will go to waste,” said FFF national manager Raul Montemayor.
The FFF said the provision of certified seeds is a complex process, encompassing seed variety development, production of various seed types, strengthening of seed growers’ associations, seed quality certification, seed stock maintenance and seed handling and distribution.
The group said that while they acknowledge the success of the rice seed subsidy scheme under RCEF, they highlighted issues such as delayed delivery, poor seed quality, and mismatches between available stocks and farmer preferences.
Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data show that the average yields remain below the target of 5 tons per hectare, hindering local production’s profitability and competitiveness against imports.
Domestic output has not kept pace with population growth, leading to increased reliance on rice imports.
“Farmers need support beyond quality seeds, including irrigation, fertilizer, credit, farm machinery, crop insurance, marketing assistance, and other key interventions that RCEF may not fully cover. RCEF should be part of a comprehensive support system for rice farmers, not a standalone program,” Montemayor said.
The Congressional Oversight Committee on Agricultural and Fisheries Modernization (COCAFM), co-chaired by Senator Cynthia Villar and Rep. Mark Enverga, is reviewing proposals to amend the RTL and expand RCEF’s scope and funding.
Under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PHILRICE) utilized P3 billion of the annual P10 billion RCEF allocation to propagate and distribute inbred rice seeds to selected farmers.
