Department of Agriculture (DA) Usec. Leo Sebastian expressed concern on Friday, August 17, over reports that the price of well-milled rice go up to at least Php 50 per kilogram in some marketplaces.
Sebastian sees no reason for rice prices to go as high as the said amount.
"Yung presyo iyon ang medyo binabantayan natin kasi yung lumalabas na Php 50 (per kilo), hindi yata ma-justify iyan na maayos," the DA official said during DZRH's Dos Por Dos.
"Medyo mataas iyan," he added.
The agriculture undersecretary assured that the Philippines has enough stock of rice and that importations continue to augment the supply of the country.
However, Sebastian admitted that other factors contribute to the rising rice prices.
"Yung presyo nga lang naapektuhan kagaya nung mahal yung pagbili nung palay nung nakaraan dahil mahal din ang gastos sa production ng palay. Ganoon din yung imported rice nagmahal na rin siya," Sebastian explained.
Based on the monitoring of DA, Sebastian said that the price of local rice should only range between Php 44 per kilo to Php 46 per kilo while imported variants should range between Php 46 to Php 48.
