DA: P29/kilo rice not political move

MANILA, Philippines — The sale of rice at P29 per kilo is not a political move ahead of President Marcos’ third State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 22, according to the Department of Agriculture (DA).

“This is not a political move. This has been planned a long time ago, since the appointment of (Agriculture) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. through the instruction of the President to bring down the price of rice as it affects the inflation,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said yesterday.

The decreased rice prices for vulnerable sectors, including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries and solo parents, will continue after the SONA, De Mesa said.

The DA is giving false hope to the poor by selling rice at P29 per kilo at Kadiwa outlets, according to Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food Inc. president Danilo Fausto.

It is not sustainable since the DA’s subsidy is pegged at P20 per kilo or P220 million per day, he added.

De Mesa said the DA has identified the sources of the P29 per kilo of rice for the entire year.

“Aside from the National Food Authority rice, we have the contract farming of the National Irrigation Administration totaling 121,000 metric tons. During the dry season, the NFA procured 3.36 million bags. Later on, we will also look for other possible sources,” he noted.

The DA’s subsidy for the P29 per kilo of rice is not P20 per kilo, he clarified.

“We have to correct the computation that we are subsidizing. As of now, our subsidy is more on logistics. Bringing the rice from the NFA warehouses, from Batangas and Quezon, bringing it to Food Terminal Inc. and then FTI bringing it to the Kadiwa centers,” De Mesa said.

Fausto said the DA needs at least 11,000 MT of rice daily to support lower prices.

Three Kadiwa outlets in Malabon, Navotas and Marikina will sell rice at lower prices today, De Mesa noted.

Meanwhile, De Mesa said the DA hopes to start selling rice between P45 and P48 per kilo at Kadiwa centers before the end of the week under the Rice-For-All program.