URDANETA CITY—Vegetables imported from China continue to flood markets around the country, including those in Pangasinan.

Engr. Rosendo So, founder of the partylist Abono and president of the Eastern Pangasinan Filipino-Chamber of Commerce, decried the influx of the imported vegetables as a bane to local farmers.

He noted that the imported vegetables, sold at much cheaper prices, are hurting local farmers as consumers naturally opt for lower-priced goods.

“We have to stop these vegetables before they can reach our ports because there’s nothing else we can do if these had already reached the various markets in the country,” he said.

“We should put a stop to importation of onions, garlic, cabbages and other vegetables from China in order to encourage local farmers to produce more,” said So during the weekly Kapihan sa Lenox in Dagupan City on Wednesday.

By importing crops that are also produced locally, the government is in effect helping Chinese farmers and discriminating against Filipino farmers, he pointed out.

So said he already brought up this issue with officials of the Department of Agriculture several times, but to no avail as importation continues without let-up.–LM

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