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Sunday, January 19, 2025
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Sunday, January 19, 2025

DA, DTI continue price watch of food, agricultural products

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The Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) conducted their first joint market monitoring this year in Quezon City on Jan. 10, 2025 to survey supply and prices of essential agricultural commodities after the holiday season.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. and Trade Secretary Ma. Cristina Roque led the special joint market monitoring at the Murphy Public Market and at the SM Hypermarket in Cubao to ensure the availability and affordability of basic commodities.

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They checked the Murphy Public Market’s Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) Rice-for-All (RFA) kiosk, which offers affordable rice at P36 per kilogram (kg.) and P40 per kg.

Tiu Laurel assured the public that affordable rice options meet quality standards before they are introduced to the market.

He said the DA maintains stringent quality checks for the affordable rice options before they hit the market.

He said the P36-per-kg. rice, known as “Sulit rice,” is 100-percent broken, but retains the taste and texture of good quality rice.

“We don’t want to lower the price of rice too much below the average price because at the end of the day, what’s important is that our farmers make a profit. If they don’t make a profit, they won’t plant anymore, that’s a bigger problem,” he said.

He highlighted the importance of balancing benefits for both farmers and consumers. “Affordable, fair price to all. That’s what we’re after,” the agri chief said.

The other inexpensive rice options under the KNP include the RFA 5 or 5-percent broken rice sold at P45 per kg., RFA25 or 25-percent broken rice worth P40 per kg. and the P29/kg rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) stock.

To increase the availability of affordable rice, the DA aims to collaborate with Metro Manila mayors and expand partnerships to 180 markets by next month.

During the market monitoring, the team also inspected the public markets’ designated “Timbangan ng Bayan,” the sections for rice retail, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, and spices, and the stalls’ compliance to proper labelling and pricing of the agri commodities.

Through regular marketing monitoring, the DA and DTI committed to ensuring the availability of affordable food commodities for all consumers.

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