Philipppines-Organic Fertilizer.

PHILIPPINES-ORGANIC RICE.

The price of rice may eventually go down with farmers benefiting from lower production cost as they start to produce their own organic fertilizer, Go Organic! Philippines said.

While organically-produced agricultural products and byproducts cost more, Efren Moncupa, lead convenor of the group said the price of organically-produced agriculture products should be lower than those produced using inorganic fertilizer.

Moncupa, a former agrarian reform undersecretary, reiterated his appeal to lawmakers to prioritize bills that promote organic farming in the Philippines, which he said will be both beneficial to farmers and consumers.

He noted that some stores have already put up an organic produce section but the prices of commodities sold there are relatively higher compared to others.

"The price of organically-grown produce should be lower because the production cost is much lower," Moncupa said.

Farmer-leader Jaime "Ka Jimmy" Tadeo of Paragos-Pilipinas echoes Moncupa’s sentiment. "Since production cost is lower, the price of rice should be cheaper," Tadeo, the spokesperson of Go Organic! Philippines said.

The commercial price of organic fertilizer is P250 to P350 per 50-kilogram (kg) bag compared to the price of inorganic fertilizer currently pegged at P1,500 to P2,000 per 50 kg.

A one-hectare rice farm requires around eight to 10 bags of inorganic fertilizer. On the other hand, the organic fertilizer requirement during the first year of transition is 60 bags and diminishes to as low as 30 bags once soil fertility is restored.

mb.com.ph