MANILA, Philippines — A group of local rice traders on July 14 said rice at P38 per kilo of rice would also be made available to the Kadiwa outlets amid the continued spike in retail prices of the grains.
In a radio interview, Philippine Rice Industry Stakeholders Movement (PRISM) lead convenor Rowena Sadicon admitted there was a decline in demand for rice due to rising prices.
“We felt the decline in consumption of rice during these lean months because of high retail prices,” Sadicon said.
She said that PRISM is now coordinating with the Department of Agriculture (DA) to start the sale of P38 well-milled rice at the Kadiwa stores.
“We are negotiating with the DA as our members want to participate in the sale of P38 per kilo of rice at the Kadiwa. We are arranging that we can have a space at the Kadiwa where we can sell rice,” she added.
Sadicon said that traders pass the P38 per kilo of rice to retailers with no added cost.
“In fact, we shoulder the cost for logistics and at least P100 subsidy. If our retailers order at least 500 bags, we ask them to provide space for the P38 per kilo. This is part of our bayanihan spirit,” she said.
According to Sadicon, the campaign is part of the corporate social responsibility of the member traders.
She added that she sources her rice in Nueva Ecija where she is a rice miller.
“We cannot do this alone. We only started the campaign. Everybody is welcome to join us so that we will be able to sell rice at P38 per kilo until the lean months,” she added.
Sadicon said the group also plans to hold a caravan to reach depressed areas. “We are working with barangays and local government units as our goal is to bring the P38 to depressed areas,” she said.
Based on DA’s monitoring on July 14, the retail price of local regular milled rice is sold to as high as P42 per kilo; local well-milled rice, P46 per kilo; local premium rice, P49 per kilo; local special rice, P60 per kilo.
The retail price of imported well-milled rice is pegged as high as P48 per kilo and imported special rice, P58 per kilo.
Food summit
A farmers’ group yesterday called on the DA to organize a food summit to prepare for the adverse impact of El Niño and the possible shortage of rice suply.
“I am calling on (Agriculture) Senior Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban to hold a food summit so that there will be a consultation with the farmers so that we can solve the possible food shortage because of the El Niño,” Central Luzon Farmers’ Cooperative president Sonny Sioson said in a radio interview.
Sioson added that many farmers were affected by the decision of the National Water Resources Board to lower the water allocation for irrigation to 20 cubic meters per second from the previous 28.5 meters after the level of Angat Dam reached below 180 meters.
Sioson also noted the increasing retail prices of imported rice as neighboring countries are also affected by the dry spell.
“The landed cost of imported rice is now at P43 to P44 (per kilo). The retail prices of imported rice ranged between P44 and P50 per kilo and it is expected to go up as ASEAN countries like Vietnam, Thailand limit their export as they are also affected,” he noted.