THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said that it has lowered the selling price of well-milled rice at its KADIWA ng Pangulo stores to P43 per kilogram.
“We lowered the price because we have seen a decrease in the market price of rice,” Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel V. de Mesa told reporters at a briefing on Thursday.
The DA’s “Rice for All” program used to sell subsidized rice at P45 per kilo.
According to DA price monitors, Metro Manila outlets sold domestically grown well-milled rice for P45 to P55 per kilo. Imported well-milled rice also fetched P45 to P55 per kilo as of Oct. 9.
Mr. De Mesa added that the DA sells the rice in KADIWA ng Pangulo centers at a discount of at least P5 off the prevailing price.
“Rice sold under this program will be accessible to more consumers, thanks to our planned expansion of the KADIWA network,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Jr. said in a separate statement.
The DA said that it’s planning to open 20 new KADIWA stores within the week across Metro Manila and Laguna.
It is targeting a network of 169 KADIWA sites by the end of the year. The DA has an overall goal of 1,500 locations.
Additionally, the DA said it is also partnering with several farm and fisheries cooperatives to expand the network.
“We also want our farmers and fisherfolk to get more value for their products, securing for them more income that will incentivize them to produce more,” DA Agribusiness and Marketing Director Junibert E. de Sagun said.
Mr. De Sagun said that unlike existing KADIWA stores that operate only 2-3 days a week, the new outlets will be open throughout the week. — Adrian H. Halili
