Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. raised concern over persistently high rice prices, particularly the sale of imported rice at P60 per kilogram, as a result of profiteering.
His comments followed a consultative meeting with rice importers and millers, where DA officials scrutinized the industry’s pricing practices.
Tiu Laurel said the exorbitant price of imported rice was becoming increasingly unsustainable for consumers, and such pricing could undermine government’s efforts to stabilize the rice market while also negatively affecting local farmers’ livelihoods.
He said the Department of Agriculture (DA) would hold another consultative meeting later this week with rice retailers and importers to discuss setting a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for rice, aiming to finalize the framework by the end of January.
Tiu Laurel said this would not impose a price cap but serve as a guideline to maintain reasonable prices.
Despite President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s decision to lower rice tariffs from 35 percent to 15 percent in July, rice prices remain high, he said.
He said the DA is promoting affordable alternatives such as Sulit Rice, a 100-percent broken white rice variety sold at P36 per kilogram and Nutri Rice, a slightly polished, nutritious variety.
Initial sales in two areas received positive feedback, and the DA aims to increase Sulit Rice availability through more KADIWA ng Pangulo centers.
The DA is also exploring the sale of affordable 5-percent broken rice as part of its strategy to provide more budget-friendly options for Filipino consumers. Othel V. Campos
Tiu Laurel also proposed removing “premium” or “special” labels and brand names on imported rice to help curb overpricing.
“We know consumers are very brand-conscious, and labels like ‘premium’ or ‘special’ often result in higher prices, even when the quality doesn’t justify it,” Tiu Laurel said.
Under the proposed regulation, imported rice will only be labeled by type, country of origin, and percentage of broken grains, while locally branded rice will be exempt from this regulation.
