Rice retailers sell regular-milled rice at P32/kilo

The price of local regular-milled rice has gone down to P32 per kilo from the previous P40 per kilo in some public markets in Marikina and Alabang.

According to a report by Bernadette Reyes in GMA's 24 Oras, a retailer said that the rice he sells for that price were from Nueva Ecija.

"Medyo mababa na ngayon, marami na hong bigas," rice retailer Joey Cabangon said.

Some consumers are already shifting to buy this variety.

"Nag-switch na lang kami sa P32. The same din naman pati lasa pati 'yung butil n'ya buo," customer Baby Policarpio said.

The price of local well-milled rice in the said areas ranges from P40 to P44.

Meanwhile, data from the Department of Agriculture showed that the prevailing price of well-milled rice ranges from P36 to P40.

The price of NFA rice remains at P27 per kilo.

Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol said that more supply of rice could further lower the price of the country's staple grain.

"Kung maraming bigas siguro na galing sa labas na mura, bababa talaga 'yung presyo ng bigas. But of course, nandyan naman 'yung local na palay na binibili nang mura. Effectively, magiging available na rin 'yung murang local rice," he said.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has previously projected that rice prices could be as low as P30 per kilo if more imported rice would enter the market through the Rice Tarrification Law.

Further, despite the agricultural losses due to the mild El Niño, less than one percent of the expected rice production in the country has been affected by drought, according to the report. —Dona Magsino/LDF, GMA News