The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Friday that it is possible to sell government-subsidized rice at PHP29 per kilogram in August.
During the Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa pointed out that the selling of cheaper rice was earlier done through the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)’s contract farming with farmers cooperatives and associations.
“Posible iyan, of course, mayroon iyan subsidiya galing sa ating pamahalaan, nasubukan na natin iyan sa ilang lugar (That’s possible, of course, there will be a subsidy from the government, we’ve already done that before in some areas),” he said.
De Mesa explained that this was done through a lower production cost, considering the provision of free seedlings, fertilizers, free irrigation service fees, and machinery from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech), among others.
The said program may be rolled out in coordination with the National Food Authority (NFA), once the proposed amendments in Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) are finalized, he said.
“Iyan ay pag-aaralan at pagsusumikapan natin, hopefully by August lalo na kung maipasa (That’s what we are studying and working on, hopefully by August, especially if the proposed amendments are passed),” De Mesa said.
“Na-certify ng ating pangulo (President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) na urgent itong proposed amendment sa Rice tariffication Law, at malaki ang maitutulong nito para mas maibaba pa ang presyo ng bigas sa ating mga pamilihan (The president has already certified the proposed amendment in the RTL as urgent, and this will greatly help in stabilizing the rice prices in the market),” he added.
The proposed amendments for NFA rice sale, however, are limited to government agencies or entities authorized to handle the sale of rice; retail outlets of organized women’s groups or cooperatives duly registered by CDA and DA-accredited; outlets run by consumer groups and similar associations duly registered with Securities and Exchange Commission and DA-accredited; and in Kadiwa stores.
To date, the NFA’s mandate is limited to securing rice for national buffer stocking. (PNA)