By DANNY O. SAGUN

THERE is enough supply of rice in Pangasinan owing to the good harvest in the main and second croppings, according to farmers from this palay-rich province.

The province produces rice more than the needs of its population of some 2.7 million, it was gathered from the National Food Authority.

The farmers believe there is no rice or food crisis as claimed by some sectors. They said the crisis is just “artificial” created by unscrupulous traders thru hoarding of the nation’s main staple.

Dino Fernandez, of barangay San Jose in San Jacinto whose family has been engaged in farming for decades, noted that the warehouses of big time businessmen were found to be full of stocks as seen in the raids by law enforcement agencies on bodegas of traders suspected of hoarding.

He said that the local supply is being augmented by rice imports to see to it that there is enough supply when the lean months come in.

Rosy del Campo, also of a family of farmers from barangay Macayug, Mangaldan town, agreed saying that the situation now is the result of tight supply artificially created by hoarders. “Itinatago ng mga walang pusong traders yan,” (The heartless traders are hiding it), she said.

A rice farmer from barangay Lobong in San Jacinto town said he saw a good harvest in the last two cropping seasons due to good weather conditions and he wondered why there is now a tight supply resulting in the increase of prices of up to P10 per kilo.

He said his farmer-relatives from Sta. Barbara town who also benefit from irrigation facilities there also had a good harvest.

NFA-Lingayen branch manager Edilberto Libatique said the stocks in the province of some 3.6 million bags will last up to the start of the lean months. He expressed hope that by then, the rice imports from Vietnam would have already arrived. (PIA/DOS)