P45/kilo rice available in 4 Metro Manila outlets – DA

MANILA, Philippines — Starting today, the Department of Agriculture will sell well-milled rice for P45 per kilo at four Kadiwa outlets in Metro Manila as part of the Rice-for-All program of the government, a DA official said. At a press conference yesterday, Agriculture Assistant Secretary and spokesman Arnel de Mesa said the P45/kilo rice would be sold at the Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) Kadiwa in Taguig; Caloocan City; Potrero, Malabon and the Bureau of Plant Industry main office in Manila.

“These are good quality well-milled rice being sold in the markets, unlike the P29 per kilo aging NFA stocks,” De Mesa said, referring to the National Food Authority.

Each buyer will be limited to 25 kilos daily to prevent abuses.

“That is why we set a limit of 25 kilos. We as a group decided to set 25 kilos (as a limit) to prevent people from buying a huge volume and probably reselling it,” De Mesa said.

The new scheme is in tandem with the existing P29 (per kilo of rice) program.

“Initially, the Rice-for-All will be available at four Kadiwa sites. As of now, we have 17 Kadiwa sites for the P29 (per kilo of rice),” De Mesa added.

He said the P45/kilo of well-milled rice would be cheaper compared to the existing retail price of imported well-milled rice of P51 to P51/kilo and local well-milled rice of P45 to P55/kilo.

He said the Kadiwa outlets would be open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The stocks would come from participating commercial stakeholders.

De Mesa said the DA would not provide subsidy for the P45/kilo of rice in the Kadiwa outlets.

“We don’t have procurement (for P45/kilo of rice). The arrangement is between the DA, the FTI and traders,” he added.

According to De Mesa, selling the P45/kilo rice aims to influence the retail prices of rice.

“We need an impetus. It is part of the government’s program to bring down the retail price of rice as there are trigger points like the P29 per kilo and this Rice-for-All,” he said.

“You have affordable and quality rice and traders are willing to participate. This is what the Secretary wants, to influence the retail prices (of rice in the markets),” De Mesa added, referring to Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.