MANILA, Philippines — A local traders’ group has started to sell rice at P38 per kilo in certain areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces amid the upward trend in retail prices of the staple.

Rowena Sadicon, lead convenor of the Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM), said her group sells local well-milled rice to retailers at P38 per kilo, which will be sold by vendors at the same price as part of their social responsibility.

“This P38 per kilo will be included in the regular orders. We have informed our retailers that we will sell them well-milled rice at P38 per kilo and they should sell it without added profit,” Sadicon said.

She said the lowest retail price of the grain in the market is P40 per kilo for imported well-milled rice.

“We still want to sell at P38 per kilo as the lowest price of rice is now at P40 and these are imported broken rice,” Sandicon said.

Among areas where the P38 per kilo rice will be sold are Las Piñas City, Marikina, Pasig, Quezon City and Parañaque as weall as Bulacan and Pampanga.

Sadicon said each customer could avail of a maximum of five kilos of local well-milled rice.

“This is an initiative of a private NGO. At least five kilos a day will be the maximum for every household. We are now coordinating with the local government units and barangays so we can supply the depressed areas,” Sadicon said, referring to a non-government organization.

She said the P38 per kilo rice would be available for three months as the country waits for the harvest in November.

“Based on our meeting, we will continue selling during the lean months until October. Hopefully, by the time the harvest season starts, the retail prices of rice will start to go down,” Sadicon added.

Cathy Estavillo, spokesperson for rice watchdog Bantay Bigas, welcomed the initiative of the PRISM, saying it showed the need to return the function of the National Food Authority (NFA) to import and sell rice at P27 and P32 per kilo.

“The initiative of PRISM in selling P38 per kilo of rice is a big help amid the spike in the retail prices of basic commodities. Poor consumers look for cheap rice in the market. PRISM has mentioned that their initiative will be good until October,” Estavillo said.

She said it is the responsibility of the government to ensure that the retail prices of rice are affordable.

“Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Liberation Law should be junked and return the mandate of the NFA to sell P27 and P32 per kilo of rice. The NFA should also buy 25 percent of the local palay production of farmers at a farmgate price of P20 per kilo,” Estavillo said.

Based on monitoring of the Department of Agriculture in Metro Manila markets, the retail price of local regular milled rice is P42 per kilo; well-milled rice, P46; premium rice, P50 and special rice, P60 per kilo.

The retail price of imported well-milled rice is P48 per kilo while special rice is P58 per kilo.

‘Stop chicken imports’

Meanwhile, President Marcos has been asked to stop the importation of chicken as imported meat products are flooding the local market.

Gregorio San Diego, chairman of United Broiler Raisers Association and Philippine Egg Board, yesterday said he personally relayed to Marcos the problem of over importation during a recent meeting with local stakeholders at Malacañang. The meeting, which took place on July 10, was arranged by the National Agricultural and Fishery Council.

San Diego said he also raised the plight of the small and medium poultry raisers who were affected by the over importation of chicken products.

He said his concern on the oversupply of chicken was referred to Agriculture Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban.

Published Date: July 12, 2023