Rice prices soar even in research town

LOS BAÑOS , Philippines   – Rice prices are soaring even in this rice research town of Laguna.

The STAR recently made a round of rice stores in Los Baños – the center of global rice research for the past half century – and the increase in prices was evident.

The lowest priced National Food Authority rice ranged from P27 to P32 per kilo while the most expensive malagkit or glutinous rice was sold at P88 per kilo.

Other varieties were Jasmine sold at P72 per kilo; Milagrosa, P61.50 per kilo; organic brown rice, P6l.50 to 67 per kilo; California, P59.50 per kilo; Dinorado, P50-P56.50 per kilo; Sinandomeng (Noble Star), P54.50 per kilo; Sinandomeng (Platinum), P5l.50 per kilo; special Sinandomeng, P72 per kilo; C-4, P41 per kilo; Azucena, P46 per kilo; Maharlika, P44 to P53 per kilo; R-64, P43.50 per kilo; and Angelica, P41 per kilo.

Los Baños became the global center of rice research in the 1960s following the establishment of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) with the support of the Rockefeller and Ford foundations.

The IRRI came out with its first varieties (IR 8) half a decade later, touching off what has come to be known as the “Green Revolution” in cereal.

A quarter of a century later, the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) was established in the University of the Philippines Los Baños complex to serve as the government’s rice research arm under the Department of Agriculture.

Since the 1960s, more than a hundred varieties of pest-resistant, high-yielding varieties (HYVs) have been bred and adopted not only by Filipino but also by foreign farmers.

From 1990 to 2004, 80 HYVs were bred, giving farmers enough latitude to select which varieties suit their agro-ecological systems.

Of the 80 varieties, 39 are suited for irrigated lowlands.

Some of the varieties yield a maximum of 10.2 tons per hectare or more than 200 cavans per hectare.

Affordable rice coming soon

Meanwhile, the NFA said yesterday that high quality but low-priced rice will flood all sales outlets, including flea markets, starting this month.

NFA Southern Tagalog Regional Director Tom Escarez assured the public over the weekend that their agency will ensure that both imported and locally harvested rice at low prices will be available to poor families at P25 to P27 per kilo.

He said the NFA regular milled rice is priced between P25 to P27 per kilo while the well-milled rice, “whose quality is comparable, if not better than commercial rice being sold by retailers at P45 to P48 per kilo” will be available for only P30 to P32 per kilo.

“This is the new thrust of the NFA to contain the alleged hoarding, uncontrolled increases in prices, and shortage of the staple commodity in public markets nationwide,” Escarez said.

He added that 1.5 million bags of Vietnam rice arrived at the Batangas City port last Friday to augment local supply.- With Juancho Mahusay