Local potato growers have sought the help of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte here to investigate the alleged flooding of the market with cheap Chinese potatoes.
In a regular Sunday public-affairs television program of the city government, the program host, councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta, read a letter sent by local potato growers indicating their resentment to the perceived “unfair” competition posed by the Chinese potatoes that have recently flooded the local market.
The letter said it was seeking Duterte’s help “to investigate if flooding the market with Chinese potatoes was legal and if [the] government has already warranted its health safety.”
Acosta did not mention the name of the sender nor the name of the organization.
“I would take this letter as your complaint and bring this issue to the attention of the proper authorities,” Duterte said.
The mayor said he would assume that “if the national government has allowed the importation, then the selling of these potatoes could be legal.”
He said he has “no adequate know-how” to determine the health concern raised by the local growers regarding the Chinese potatoes. He assured the growers that their complaint would be sent to the Department of Trade and Industry.
