Renegotiations for rice QR too late, says Cabinet exec

MANILA, Philippines – Renegotiating for the country’s extension on the quantitative restriction (QR) on the main Filipino staple food is way behind schedule, the Office of the Cabinet Secretary said.

“It’s too late to renegotiate (for another extension). We have to be forward looking, we have to prepare that it (QR) will be lifted by June 2017,” Office of the Cabinet Assistance System Undersecretary Maia Chiara Valdez said.

This is contrary to what the Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to do which is to review the possible extension as it conducts consultation with stakeholders nationwide.

Should the Philippines decide to extend the QR, World Trade Organization (WTO) member-countries that wish to seek concession for allowing the extension would have to negotiate with the country, which would normally take at least one year of negotiations.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has made public his stand on seeking another extension of the QR by at least two more years.

In 2014, the Philippines under former president Benigno Aquino III won approval of the WTO to keep import restrictions for three more years to June 2017. The previous administration took two years to renegotiate the extension.

But, Valdez maintained the need to amend the law which is being drafted by the National Economic and Development Authority as mandated by the economic cluster.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Policy and Planning Segfredo Serrano earlier said Congress would need to amend the Agricultural Tariffication Act. Under the law, only rice is protected by the QR and it did not specify an end-date for this provision.

“If the QR will be lifted, we also have to amend the role of the National Food Authority to conform to that and the economic cluster is looking at retaining its regulatory and buffer stocking functions,” Valdez said.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia has also maintained the government would import more rice to comply with the WTO agreement to lift barriers on the staple food despite opposition from the DA.