DA believes P20 per kilo rice sustainable until 2028

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said on Sunday that the government's P20 per kilo rice initiative is sustainable until the end of Marcos administration in 2028.

"Isu-sustain ito at ipagpapatuloy hanggang sa katapusan ng termino ng ating pangulo. 'Yan ay na-commit na ni Secretary Kiko Tiu Laurel Jr. para sa ating mga recipients at eligible bumili," said DA spokesperson Arnel de Mesa in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.

(This will be sustained and continued until the end of our president's term. That has already been committed by Secretary Kiko Tiu Laurel Jr. for our recipients and those eligible to buy.)

In his fifth State of the Nation Address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. reported that over 12 million Filipinos benefited from the "Benteng Bigas, Meron Na" program, which is targeted to the members of the vulnerable sector.

The program sources rice from the stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA), which are procured directly from local farmers. The government subsidizes the program through the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI).

DA said that the NFA currently has a stock of half a million metric tons of rice for the program.

"More than 500,000 metric tons 'yung stock nila ngayon, more than enough to cover itong pangangailangan sa P20 na bigas," said De Mesa.

(Their stock right now is more than 500,000 metric tons, which is more than enough to cover the demand for the P20 rice.)

Kadiwa

The department official added that up to 2,000 Kadiwa sites, where the cheap rice is being sold, is being targeted soon.

"Sa ngayon mayroon na tayong 807 na sites nationwide at target pa 'yan na madagdagan pa hanggang sa katapusan ng taon, hanggang next year. Kung hindi ako nagkakamali, 1,500 hanggang 2,000 sites pa 'yung ating ine-aim," said De Mesa.

(Right now, we have 807 sites nationwide, and the target is to add more by the end of the year and into next year. If I'm not mistaken, we are aiming for 1,500 to 2,000 sites.)

Rice prices

Moreover, the DA said that it has observed a decline in the prices of rice recently.

"Ngayon, unti-unti na natin nakikitang bumababa ang presyo...Nakakita na tayo, doon sa magandang klase, P47 to P48 (per kilo). Mas mababa ito sa unang tinakdang P50 (per kilo). 'Yung ating regular milled, mayroong P35 hanggang P45 (per kilo)," said De Mesa.

(Now, we are gradually seeing prices go down... For the premium varieties, we've seen prices at ₱47 to ₱48 [per kilo], which is lower than the previously set ₱50 [per kilo]. For our regular milled rice, it ranges from ₱35 to ₱45 [per kilo].)

"'Yung sa bigas, maganda 'yung presyo at supply natin, both local and imported. We have enough volume to carry us in the next harvest season," he added.

(When it comes to rice, our prices and supply are looking good, both local and imported. We have enough volume to carry us into the next harvest season.)

The Agriculture department earlier said that the Philippines is not keen on imposing a ban on imported rice as the country prepares for the food supply impact of the strong El Niño later this year.

Despite the country's rice imports surpassing 3 million metric tons, the agency said it will not let farm-gate prices of palay or unhusked rice for local farmers fall due to higher volume of rice imports. —KG, GMA News