MANILA -The Federation of Free Farmers (FFF) is urging the Marcos administration to be transparent in its importation plan after the Department of Agriculture (DA) disclosed that shipments from India are set to proceed. “It is not clear if a government agency will undertake the shipment, notwithstanding the fact that the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) prohibits importation by the National Food Authority (NFA),” FFF national manager Raul Montemayor said in a statement on Wednesday. “If the private sector will do the importation, how will the Indian quota be allocated among importers?” Montemayor said. In his confirmation appointment on Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Laurel said shipments from India would arrive in the country through a prior arrangement brokered by President Marcos.…
