Consumers in Pangasinan can buy rice at a lower price as the National Food Authority (NFA) assured the public that there is enough rice supply in the province this wet season.

According to NFA Eastern Pangasinan Acting Manager Frederick Dulay, the agency has a buffer stock of 45,227 sacks of rice, enough for 15 days.

This does not include over 525,000 sacks of palay stored in NFA warehouses, which can be milled anytime.

“Ang bufferstocking natin ay intended for calamities and disasters atsaka ‘yung programa ng ating Pangulo na P20 at P29 atsaka sa mga Kadiwa,” Dulay said.

Aside from NFA rice, there is also ample supply of commercial rice in markets across the province. At the Mangaldan Public Market, the price of rice has dropped by P2 per kilo. Some varieties now sell for as low as P32 per kilo.

“Mababa ang bigas ngayon, 32 pesos. Hanggang next week bababa pa 'yan,” Nancy de Vera, a rice retailer, said.

Consumers like Lea Vidal welcome the price drop, saying it helps their budget.

“Malaking bagay kasi kakapatipid kami,” Vidal said.

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has lowered the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) of imported rice to P43 per kilo for 5 percent broken grain, effective July 17, 2025.

The DA said rice prices in the global market have stabilized, which prompted the adjustment.

This development is expected to further ease household spending amid rising costs of other basic goods.