Association pushes for opening of SMEs and farmers to resume food supply

In late April, the Philippine Association of Flour Millers had pushed for the reopening of small and medium enterprises (SME) involved in food processing and trading that closed due to the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and for the local government units (LGU) to allow farmers to work to ensure food supply.
The association said the SMEs are among the most severely affected by the Luzon-wide lockdown and many of these businesses have been forced to stop operations and even lay off employees. The association proposed for the reopening of those particularly in the food processing and trading businesses to ensure the availability of basic food items in the supply chain.
The association also added that having the SMEs operate again will be beneficial for government relief agencies and LGUs as they can procure relief goods from these establishments at factory costs.
It also proposed for farmers and farm workers be exempted from quarantine rules as farmers need to tend to their farms.
PAFMIL groups 7 of the oldest and biggest flour mills in the country such as RFM Corp., Wellington Flour Mills, Philippine Flour Mills, General Milling Corp., Liberty Flour Mills, Pilmico Foods Corp. and Universal Robina Corp.