By Roy Pelovello

TWO lawmakers yesterday asked the Agriculture Department for immediate action to prevent a shortage of corn which, if left unchecked, may lead to an increase in the prices of chicken, pork and eggs.

Agusan del Sur Rep. Rodolfo Plaza said it is imperative for the government to ensure an adequate supply of corn, the primary ingredient in feeds for chicken and hogs. Chicken and pork form part of the Filipinos? daily meal.

?The government must act on it with dispatch, otherwise we will wake up with the spiraling prices of chicken and pork which many Filipino families depend for their food,? said Plaza.

Party-list Rep. Nicanor Briones said corn prices are rising and that pork and chicken will become costlier soon.

Corn prices soared to P28 per kilo in January from P13 per kilo last year.

But Briones said the price of corn dropped to P18 per kilo recently because of the arrival of 100,000 metric tons of young corn from Brazil and 120,000 metric tons of feed wheat from Ukraine.

?This is a temporary situation, the price may increase any time if the buffer stock is depleted.?

Briones also said there is an importation of 62,500 metric tons of corn this month and another 187,500 metric tons from March to May to meet the demand until the second quarter of the year.

The original plan was to course the private financed importation through the National Food Authority to expedite the process and to minimize, if not lift, the 35- percent tariff duty.

But NFA imposed a P4/kilo fixed tariff, Briones said. That tariff is what the Finance Department wants to use to buy the buffer stock.

The Agriculture Department suggested that the NFA should have a buffer stock of 75,000 MT to 100,00 MT of corn to shield the farmers from such shortages and possible subsequent unscrupulous hoarding practices.

Briones urged the Agriculture Department to bring down the tariff rate to P2/kilo to help the farmers.

?With reduced tariff, private investors will be encouraged to participate in the importation,? Briones said.

NFA?s buffer stock should be implemented using the Agriculture Department?s budget allocation to minimize the impact on the farmers, especially in the critical months of May to July, Briones said.