The protection action that “no more rice is imported” was presented by farmers who grow grass. This happened this Thursday, June 22, in Guayaquil, after the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock announced the import of rice, which — according to what is stated in that state portfolio — will initially amount to 30,000 tons from Colombia.

Producers also met with the prefect of Guayas, Marcelo Aguiñaga, and the governor of Guayas, Francesco Tabacchi, to hear about the risk they are taking by importing rice.

“Today at 09:00 we submitted a request for protection,” said Omar Delgado, who was in charge of presenting that appeal. He is a representative of the Wide Front in defense of the agricultural and fishing sector for Ecuadorian food sovereignty.

With the first import of 30,000 tons of rice from Colombia, the government expects a quintal in Ecuador to sell for $46

“There is rice here. It is an open secret that the big piladors have rice stored in cellars or in husks. That is why we asked and demand that the government does not allow imports,” said Delgado.

With regard to the announcement of the arrival of the first shipment of rice in the coming days, Delgado indicated that this will affect farmers, as they will pay very low prices when they harvest the crops.

Before the meeting with the farmers, which took place in the facilities of the prefecture of Guayas, Aguiñaga indicated: “We do not agree with these imports”, adding that the first thing expected is for the national government “to say how many hectares are lost, because nobody knows what are working to deal with speculation and hoarding, because not only small rice farmers are harmed, but also the end consumer, who today pays 60 and 70 cents per pound of rice”.