The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said on Wednesday that the price cap on rice may only be imposed for a month as the supply of the food staple is seen to stabilize soon due to the approaching harvest season.
In a radio interview with Regi Espiritu on DZRH’s Damdaming Bayan on Wednesday, September 6, DTI Secretary Agaton Uvero said that the price ceiling on rice is only temporary.
"Temporary lang ito. Hindi ito tatagal. In 3 weeks time, anihan na. Pag harvest season, bumababa na ang presyo ng bigas at palay," he explained.
He said that for now, there is a lack of supply for the regular-milled rice, which many rice retailers cannot sell, compared to the well-milled rice.
Uvero then urged the rice retailers to cooperate as a way of helping consumers buy rice at an affordable price.
"Dapat pare-pareho tayong tulong-tulong para sa ating mga kababayan na makabili ng mas murang bigas," he said.
Moreover, Uvero clarified that premium rice is exempt from the price ceiling and that retailers can still sell it at its original price.
"Hindi kasama yung mga magagandang klase katulad ng dinorado, jasmine, sinandomeng, hindi kasama yan kahit yung specialty rice katulad ng malagkit," he discussed.
Previously, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. signed Executive Order 39, which set the price of regular-milled rice at P41 and well-milled rice at P45.
He then approved the Department of Agriculture's (DA) and the DTI’s joint suggestion to put price ceilings on rice in the country, despite the rise in retail rice prices in local markets.
