Price council pushes P50 per kilo cap on imported rice
The National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) has adopted the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) proposal to impose a price ceiling of P50 per kilogram on imported rice, endorsing the measure to President Marcos for approval.
In a statement on Thursday, the NPCC said the proposed cap will cover imported rice with 5-percent broken grains and will be in effect for 30 days to curb “unreasonable price increases” and prevent market abuse.
The sugarcane sector also expressed concern at the rising cost of transportation, with Sugar Regulatory Board member David Andrew Sanson calling on sugar mills to increase trucking allowances for farmers as diesel prices surge.
Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said in a television interview that the proposed price ceiling was based on prevailing international prices, freight costs and the peso-dollar exchange rate.
The peso weakened to a record low of P60.30 against the US dollar on March 23, before briefly recovering to P59.95 and sliding again to P60.10 on Wednesday.
To implement the measure, the NPCC said it has recommended that the President issue an executive order that will define the timing of enforcement and penalties for noncompliance.
The NPCC said the price cap is anchored on the Price Act, or Republic Act No. 7581, as amended, and is aligned with Executive Order No. 110, which declared a state of national energy emergency amid rising global oil prices.
NPCC Chair, Trade Secretary Cristina Roque, said on Thursday that prices of basic necessities and prime commodities remained stable based on monitoring conducted on Wednesday.
Subsidy rollout
Alongside the proposed price cap, the government is preparing to roll out financial assistance to cushion the impact of rising costs on farmers and fisherfolk.
The DA said it expects the Department of Budget and Management to release the funds by April 2, with distribution targeted to begin as early as April 6, or immediately after the Holy Week.
Around 4.1 million beneficiaries, including rice, corn and sugar farmers as well as fisherfolk, are expected to receive assistance under the program, funded by a P10-billion allocation.
Each beneficiary is estimated to receive about P2,300, which will be credited through cards to enable faster and more efficient distribution.
De Mesa said more than half of the intended beneficiaries already have the cards, allowing funds to be released directly without the need for physical queuing.
Trucking assistance urged
In a separate statement, Sugar Regulatory Administration official Sanson called on sugar mills to increase trucking allowances for farmers as diesel prices surge.
In a letter addressed to mills, Sanson said he was seeking an “increase in trucking allowance and other measures to augment government relief efforts” as fuel costs rise due to tensions in the Middle East.
In Negros Island, which produces more than 60 percent of the country’s sugar, diesel prices have breached P120 per liter in most areas, significantly increasing the cost of transporting sugarcane from farms to mills.
“This has placed a substantial financial burden on our sugar farmers and threatens the continuity of cane supply,” Sanson said.
He urged mills to raise trucking allowances “for humanitarian reasons” to help farmers offset rising fuel costs until prices stabilize.
“We are all trying to survive this crisis and I hope the sugar industry stakeholders will come together to help each other and to ensure the future of our beloved sugar industry,” he added.
