MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Tuesday that operations of PHP29 and Rice for All programs in more Kadiwa sites may help further drop rice retail prices in local markets.
“Kapag mas marami iyong area mo na nagka-Kadiwa, mas magiging malaki iyong influence niyan sa market. Lalo na iyong mas malapit doon sa Kadiwa sites, mas malaki iyong chances na they will also offer prices regular na malapit doon sa (If you have more areas operating Kadiwa, there will be bigger influence in the market. Especially those near Kadiwa sites, there’s more chances that they will offer regular prices that’s close to that of the) Kadiwa,” DA Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa said in a phone interview.
The DA made the statement after rice inflation dropped to 20.9 percent in July from 22.5 percent in June, according to the latest report of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
“Natutuwa kami na marami nang nagtitinda ng PHP45 sa mga pamilihan. Mayroon nga ngayong nagbebenta PHP42 na rin (We are delighted that more retailers are selling rice at PHP45/kg in local markets. There’s even PHP42/kg being sold),” De Mesa said.
“Epekto na rin ito una iyong mga interventions natin of course dito sa mga production data natin, Rice for All, P29, and then bumaba rin naman iyong sa international market (This is the effect of our interventions, of course in our production data. Rice for All, P29, and the declining prices in the international market),” he added.
As of Monday, the prices of local regular milled rice in Metro Manila range from PHP45 per kilogram to PHP50/kg., and PHP47/kg. to PHP55/kg. for local well-milled rice.
Meanwhile, imported regular-milled rice ranges from PHP46/kg. to PHP48/kg., and PHP51/kg. to PHP53/kg. for imported well-milled rice.
De Mesa said the prices of rice may still drop in the coming months with the effects of the lower tariffs on imported rice, which is at 15 percent.
The P29 program refers to the sale of PHP29 per kilogram of aging but good quality rice stocks from the National Food Authority (NFA) for the vulnerable sector, including members of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), senior citizens, persons with disability (PWD), and solo parents; while PHP45/kg of commercial well-milled rice is accessible in Kadiwa sites for the general public through the DA’s Rice for All program.
To date, both programs are being operated in 17 Kadiwa sites in the Bureau of Animal Industry Dome and National Irrigation Administration in Quezon City; Bureau of Plant Industry in Malate, Manila; Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig City; Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority in Las Piñas; Bayani Fernando Central Terminal or BFCT and Barangay Fortune in Marikina; as well as sites in Llano, Caloocan; Valenzuela; Pantao Fisherfolks Consumer Cooperative in Malabon; Navotas Institute in Navotas; San Jose del Monte, Bulacan; Antipolo City; Bacoor, Cavite; and San Pedro City Hall and Santa Rosa, Laguna, every Thursday to Saturday.
The DA targets to expand the program in Cebu, Maguindanao, and Sulu within August.
Masagana program
The DA, meanwhile, said the review of the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program is underway to further boost local palay production and increase farmers’ income.
“We’re recalibrating the program to identify areas for enhancement, including the distribution of improved seeds, expansion of irrigation systems, and adjustments to rice cropping schedules,” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a separate statement.
The DA said rice yield could reach as high as 7.5 metric tons (MT) per hectare or 150 bags (50 kg/bag) using “right inputs and technologies.”
To date, the country’s average yield per hectare is set at 4.51 MT in irrigated areas and 3.34 MT in non-irrigated areas, or equivalent to 4.17 MT national average yield per hectare. (PNA)