The government is exploring new interventions to bring down rice prices after year-on-year rice inflation climbed to 15.6% in May, with bio-fertilizers and the expansion of Kadiwa centers among the measures being considered, a senior Palace official said Saturday.
Undersecretary Erwin Sta. Ana of the Office of the Executive Secretary told DZRH News program “Special on Saturday” on June 6 that the 30-day price ceiling of ₱50 per kilo on imported rice under Executive Order 118 has already lapsed, and that the government is now looking at other ways to support farmers and stabilize rice prices.
“Nagtapos na po ang period na iyan, it’s a 30-day period. We are looking at other ways po para matulungan ang mga magsasaka at this time na matuloy ang production,” Sta. Ana said.
He said a key driver of rising rice prices is the sharp increase in farm input costs, particularly fertilizers, with urea prices nearly doubling from ₱1,200 to ₱1,500 per bag previously to ₱2,500 to ₱2,700 per bag at present.
“Malaki po ang itinaas and nagfi-feed in po iyan doon sa cost of producing ang ating bigas,” Sta. Ana said, adding that imported rice prices have also been rising, compounding pressure on the market.
The Department of Agriculture has funds allocated for bio-fertilizers as an alternative to conventional fertilizers, alongside seed distribution programs for farmers, Sta. Ana said, as part of efforts to bring down production costs at the farm level.
On the consumer side, the DA is expanding its network of Kadiwa centers offering rice at ₱20 per kilogram, while the National Food Authority continues to build buffer stocks in line with its mandate, Sta. Ana said.
He flagged that while rice importation helps manage consumer prices, the timing and volume of imports must be carefully managed to avoid depressing farmgate prices and hurting farmers in the process.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had issued EO 118 on May 13, imposing the temporary ₱50-per-kilo price ceiling on imported rice nationwide to curb profiteering and prevent market abuse amid price shocks caused by the Middle East crisis, ordering the DTI, DA, and law enforcement agencies to strictly enforce the cap.
