Government eyes expanded P40/kilo rice program

MANILA, Philippines — Affordable rice will soon be available in more public markets nationwide as the government eyes the expansion of its P40 per kilo program, Malacañang said yesterday.

“The Kadiwa ng Pangulo Rice-for-All program resumed Friday, Dec. 27, on its seventh day, targeting more public markets in time for the celebration of New Year,” the Presidential Communications Office said.

Rice retailers have started lowering prices following the successful implementation of the program led by the Department of Agriculture (DA), the PCO noted.

The staple, being sold at Kadiwa stores at P40 per kilo in some areas in Metro Manila, is cheaper by P3 to P5 compared to those being sold by market retailers.

The public may purchase up to 25 kilos of the affordable rice.

“Market retailers are currently reducing their prices to keep up with the lower price offered by rolling stores,” the PCO said, quoting a DA report.

So far, EDSA Balintawak Market distributed 110 sacks of rice; New Marulas Public Market in Barangay Marulas, Valenzuela City, five sacks and Malabon Central Market, 32 sacks.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier said among the cities that agreed to allow the sale of P40 per kilo of rice in the markets are Quezon City, Pasay, Caloocan, Manila, Parañaque, Las Piñas, Malabon and Makati.

The current retail prices of rice range from P48 to P55 per kilo, the DA said.

The agency targets to open at least 1,300 more Kadiwa stores next year and 1,500 Kadiwa kiosks inside the markets, Tiu Laurel said.

He noted that the Office of the President has approved the allocation of P5 billion for the Rice-for-All and P29 per kilo of rice programs.

President Marcos has ordered the expansion of the government’s rice programs and Kadiwa outlets nationwide.

Contract farming

Meanwhile, Marikina 2nd District Rep. Stella Quimbo has asked the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) to further study its contract farming program to achieve the government’s target price of P20 per kilo of rice in local markets.

Quimbo made the call during a House quinta committee hearing before Congress went into Christmas break.

The committee, chaired by Rep. Joey Salceda, is probing alleged rice price manipulation by traders and rice importers.

Quimbo requested the NIA to present its findings at future meetings of the quinta comm.

At a recent quinta comm hearing, NIA administrator Eduardo Guillen said the agency collaborates with irrigation associations, providing funds equivalent to 50 percent of the target yield for farm inputs, with the remaining paid at harvest time.

Under the program, farmers are free to sell any surplus yield above the contracted target.

Guillen said P29 per kilo of rice reflects only 25 percent of the total yield under the contract farming program, with the remaining 75 percent being sold at higher prices.

The contract farming program, he said, is aimed at shifting the practice of planting rice only during the wet season, when farmers are guaranteed water for their crops.

Guillen said the agency can supply irrigation water during the dry season, which would allow farmers to harvest earlier, before the typhoon season begins.

If NIA managed to sell rice for P29 per kilo under the contract farming program, Quimbo said it could also achieve the target of P20 per kilo of rice.