The National Food Authority has reiterated that the country’s rice supply is sufficient given its current industry inventory of 2,113,811 metric tons of rice that should be enough for the next 64 days.
Market price of this basic commodity, however, went up to P45 per kilo much to the chagrin of daily minimum wage earners.
Even provinces in Central Luzon, dubbed as the “Rice Granary of the Philippines”, are experiencing higher prices for basic types of rice. In Bulacan, the cheapest rice variety costs P32 per kilo. Other types of rice like Sinandomeng and Angelica cost P34 and P36 per kilo, respectively.
Middle-quality rice such as long grain and Wagwag sell for P40 to P42 per kilo, while high-quality rice like Dinorado costs P45.
“Para saming mga arawan ang bayad, nahihirapan kami sa pagbili ng bigas, hindi pa kasama yung ulam at gastos sa bahay [For us who earn minimum daily wage, we find it hard to afford rice on top of other food items and household expenses],” housewife Tessy Clara, a mother of two, told Manila Bulletin Online.
Department of Agriculture Sec. Proceso Alcala revealed on Wednesday that there are some groups “manipulating” the price supply. However, no names or groups have been identified.
An open letter by NFA Administrator Orlan A. Calayag to employees has belied reports of rice shortage. He said that aside from existing industry inventory, NFA also has 652,801 metric tons of reserve supply good for 18 days consumption.
“There is no cause for worry as far as rice supply is concerned because as early as mid-August some farmers have started harvesting palay,” he said.
Pres. Benigno Aquino III, during his 2013 State of the Nation Address last August 21, flaunted that the country has achieved the “strengthening” of the agricultural sector and has even gone to exporting premium quality rice.
“We have truly come so far from those days when it was said that we could not even feed ourselves,” Aquino said
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