Inquirer file photos
MANILA, Philippines 鈥� The Department of Agriculture (DA) is expected to launch the Rice-for-All program next week in two Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT) and Light Rail Manila Transit Line 1 (LRT) stations.
The department also plans to release new rice varieties called 鈥渟ulit rice鈥� and 鈥渘utri rice鈥� that will be sold at lower prices next year.
The planned sale at MRT North Avenue and LRT Monumento stations was postponed earlier to tighten contingency security measures with railway management and ensure smooth operations, especially during rush hours.
READ: DA: Kadiwa rice eyed vs high prices
No limit
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in a radio interview over the weekend that the Rice-for-All program will be launched either on Tuesday or Wednesday this coming week.
On Thursday, the DA started selling well-milled rice priced at P40 per kilogram in Kadiwa ng Pangulo kiosks in Kamuning Market, Malabon Central Market, New Las Pi帽as City Public Market and Pasay City Public Market. The Kadiwa kiosks are open Tuesdays to Saturdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
While there is no limit on the amount of rice that can be purchased, the DA said it is available only in prepacked sizes of 5 kilograms and 10 kilograms.
Response to high rice prices
De Mesa, also the DA鈥檚 spokesperson, said Food Terminal Inc., the department鈥檚 partner in implementing this initiative, will adjust its plans including increasing the quantity of rice sacks delivered to Kadiwa kiosks after stocks sold out quickly during the initial rollout.
The DA brought the Rice-for-All program to public markets in response to 鈥減ersistently high鈥� retail prices despite reduced tariff rates and declining global rice prices.
Executive Order No. 62 slashed the import duty on rice to 15 percent until 2028 from 35 percent previously in a bid to augment local supply, manage prices and ease the inflationary pressure of commodities.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said this would 鈥渇orce rice retailers and unscrupulous traders who refuse to pass onto consumers the benefit of lower rice prices.鈥�
De Mesa said the Rice-for-All program will be implemented next in Balintawak (Cloverleaf) Market, Cartimar Market, Pateros Grace Marketplace, Maypajo Public Market and Paco Market, and eventually in provincial markets.
The government had earmarked an additional P5-billion budget for Rice-for-All and P29 rice programs, with the latter aimed at making discounted rice available to about 6.9 million low-income households.
鈥楽ulit鈥� and 鈥榥utri鈥� rice
The sulit and nutri rice available next year will be priced at P36 and P38 per kilogram, respectively, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra said during the Saturday 黑料社 Forum in Quezon City. She described nutri rice as 鈥渂rownish鈥� while sulit rice as white but 鈥渟uper broken.鈥�
The new rice varieties are in addition to the P40 per kilogram price for mixed local and imported well-milled rice currently offered at Kadiwa stores.
When asked if further price cuts at Kadiwa stores were possible, Guevarra said the government is 鈥渂alancing鈥� the situation as it could have a 鈥渞ipple effect鈥� on farmers.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a ripple effect if it drops too low. Of course, if I鈥檓 planting rice, I might be discouraged to plant more because, if it is that low, I might not make any money,鈥� she said.
New livelihood program
Meanwhile, the DA and the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) have signed a memorandum of agreement (MOU) to offer government-funded livelihood programs for small business owners at Kadiwa stores.
Based on the MOU, the livelihood funds, ranging from P500,000 to P3 million under the Dole Integrated Livelihood Program, target agriculture workers, particularly farmers and fisherfolk, as well as labor unions and other sectoral associations.
The project aims to increase small farmers鈥� income; expand the market of the beneficiaries; provide the urban poor and their families access to affordable, fresh, and quality agrifishery products; and ensure price stability and a steady supply of basic commodities. 鈥攚ith reports from Jerome Aning and PNA