Rice retailers in Metro Manila markets are beginning to lower their prices to compete with the government’s ongoing initiative of selling the staple at a more affordable cost, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said Friday.
In a news release, the PCO, citing the Department of Agriculture (DA), said that the implementation of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo “Rice-for-All” program across Metro Manila is now making a “dent on the staple’s price.”
The Palace said that rice being sold in Kadiwa stalls and its retailers is cheaper by P3 to P5 compared with those being sold by market retailers, resulting in increased sales by rolling stores in the recent operation.
“Market retailers are currently reducing their prices to keep up with the lower price offered by rolling stores,“ the PCO said, citing the DA’s report.
Under the “Rice-for-All” program, the DA is selling well-milled rice at P40 per kilogram, with a 25-kilogram limit per person.
Based on the Agriculture Department’s price monitoring (for the period December 16-21), the average price of local and imported well-milled rice in NCR markets were at P46.86 per kilo and P47.46 per kilo, respectively.
A week prior to the launch of the P40 per kilo “Rice-for-All” initiative (December 2-7 period), the price per kilo of local and imported well-milled rice were at P47.05 and P47.90, respectively.
The PCO said that total of 147 sacks of rice were distributed at the following Kadiwa locations in Metro Manila:
- Edsa Balintawak Market (Southbound, Brgy. Balingasa, Quezon City) – 110 sacks
- New Marulas Public Market (Along Market Road, Brgy. Marulas, Valenzuela City) – five sacks
- Malabon Central Market (Along F. Sevilla Blvd., Brgy. Tañong, Malabon City) – 32 sacks
The P40 per kilo “Rice-for-All” program is an initiative under the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program —collaboration between DA’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Service and Food Terminal Inc. (FTI). —Ted Cordero/AOL, GMA Integrated News
