The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to reduce rice prices under the Rice-for-All (RFA) program, available at Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) stores, effective on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Tuesday that the RFA prices will be lowered by as much as ₱3 per kilo.
Currently, RFA5 or the rice with no more than 5 percent broken grain is priced at ₱45 per kilo; RFA 25 or the 25 percent broken at ₱38; and RFA 100 or the 100 percent broken at ₱36.
Starting Wednesday, Laurel said RFA5 rice will be priced at ₱43 per kilo, RFA25 at ₱35, and RFA100 at ₱33.
“The price reduction reflects both a drop in global rice prices and an increase in domestic supply as the local harvest season gets underway,” the DA chief said.
The KNP program shall continue to provide rice at ₱29 per kilo, which will only be available for the country’s vulnerable sectors.
The P29 rice, which comes from aging stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA), was initially piloted last year.
Laurel noted that while international rice prices have eased, the NFA will still procure palay (unmilled rice) from local farmers at a price of ₱21 to ₱23 per kilo to ensure fair compensation.
He said the agency has sufficient funding to support farmers and uphold its mandated rice buffer stock of 15 days.
The NFA’s stocks is set to face greater consumption, as the agency is set to release approximately 150,000 metric tons (MT) of rice based on the recent declaration of a good security emergency on rice.
These stocks are expected to start disbursements as early as next week, with at least 50 local government units (LGUs) already signifying intention to purchase and sell the rice.
The DA’s move to trim down RFA prices is in line with Executive Order (EO) No. 62 of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last year, cutting rice tariffs from 35 percent to 15 percent.
Laurel said the country’s economic managers will soon review the order to determine whether rice tariff needs to be adjusted.
He, however, stressed that a revision in tariff levels should only be in play if retail prices of imported rice ease between the ₱42 to ₱45 range.