Nograles urges NFA to check if rice traders are manipulating prices in Zamboanga region

Davao City Representative Karlo Nograles is urging the National Food Authority (NFA) to look into alleged price manipulation by rice traders in Mindanao.

Rice prices in Zamboanga region are “abnormally” high, according to the lawmaker.

Nograles said on Wednesday the prices of rice in Zamboanga City ranges from P55 to P68 per kilo, higher than the average retail price of P42.26 per kilo for regular milled rice and P45.71 per kilo for well-milled rice.

“Even accounting for less than optimal weather conditions, the discrepancy of the prices in the Zamboanga peninsula is huge, masyado pa rin pong mahal ang presyong ito. Prices like these put a huge strain on the limited budgets of families who just want to have three square meals a day,” Nograles said in a statement.

“The NFA should check if something illegal is going on,” he added.

Citing the NFA, Nograles stated that the scarcity of rice has been brought about by inclement weather which affected both rice production and shipment.

“What’s worse, the information relayed to me is that unscrupulous traders are hoarding more rice, thereby driving up prices further. They’re manipulating the market in their favor but this is making probinsyanos suffer. Ang dami na pong nagsusumbong sa akin,” the lawmaker noted.

“The NFA must find out if this practice occurs in Zamboanga City alone or in the entire Zamboanga peninsula,” he said.

Reports reaching Nograles showed the price of rice in Region IX are as follows: P55 to P66 per kilo in Dipolog, Zamboanga Del Norte; P55 to P60 per kilo in Pagadian, Zamboanga del Sur; P55 to 60 per kilo in Ipil, Zamboanga del Sur; and P60 and 68 per kilo in Zamboanga City.

In Basilan, rice prices range from P60 to P70 per kilo.

Nograles has asked the NFA and the Department of Agriculture to update him on the status of their inspections of various warehouses in the area.

Zamboanga City Representative Celso Lobregat is urging authorities to step up the distribution of cheaper NFA rice in the region. —VDS, GMA News