DA to limit rice variety sold in markets, strictly impose SRP

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has announced that the rice variety that would be available in the market would be limited to only five types.

"Everybody's selling fake Dinorado. People are claiming Sinandomeng na wala namang rice variety-ng ganu'n," Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said.

"Walang uniformity 'yung market. Sa kabila sesenta, dito naman, kuwarenta. We really have to rationalize the whole thing," he added.

The types of rice like the Angelica, Jasmine, Dinorado, Sinandomeng and others will no longer be seen in the market starting Tuesday, October 23.

Instead, there will be only five classifications of rice:

• Local regular milled rice - P39 per kilo
• Local well-milled rice -P44 per kilo
• Imported with 25 percent broken rice - P37 below per kilo
• Imported with 5 percent broken rice - P40 below per kilo
• Fancy or Special rice - no SRP as of posting

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is tasked to monitor the implementation of the guidelines by retailers.

"Ito pa rin at tutuparin ayon sa nakasaad sa Price Act so ang  profiteering isa sa mga pwedeng i-charge sa mga nag violate (they will face) penalty and also imprisonment of up to P2 million also imprisonment (of) not more than one year," said DTI Director Lilian Salongga.

The SRP of rice, however, is not fixed. Prices can change and this depends on the international and local prices.

"A consultative council (will) be formed so that each sector will be represented in the monitoring of the prices in the market," Secretary Piñol explained.

"The SRP will be determined by prevailing market prices, so it's not constant number," he added. — with Margaret Claire Layug/BAP, GMA News