DA eyes maximum SRPs for all rice varieties

The Department of Agriculture (DA) said it is eyeing implementing maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for all rice varieties. 

That's according to DA Undersecretary Asis Perez after he was asked by Iloilo Rep. Ferjenel Biron if the P58 per kilo MSRP for premium imported rice can be applied to other rice varieties.

"That's being considered. We only started at P58 [per kilo for premium imported rice] because we have no prior experience [on implementing MSRPs],” Perez told the House Murang Pagkain Super Committee.

“Since this is a pilot [program], we wanted to look at it and then analyze it further on how we can improve. But that [expansion] is part of the strategy. In fact, we’re even considering the price cap [on rice],” Perez added.

Biron then questioned DA’s decision to peg the MSRP at P58 per kilo for premium imported rice despite majority of Filipinos supposedly consuming locally produced rice.

“Don't you realize that the majority of the country’s rice supply is dependent on domestic production which represents 75% of the entire consumption?,” Biron asked.

Perez agreed with Biron that there should be a better formula and assured the public that the DA is working on it.

“I agree that there has to be a better formula, that there must be a better way to address this, not just use the landed cost of imported rice as the basis for putting the MSRP. But we are still working on the formula,” Perez said.

Meanwhile, Director Cherryl Carbonell of the Department of Trade and Industry said the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) already met on Tuesday and already agreed on principle that there is an "extraordinary" increase in rice prices as provided under the law.

“The council (NPCC) met yesterday, and we are looking at the possibility of declaring that there is an extraordinary increase in rice prices,” Carbonell said.

“We are still working on the resolution [for that action],” she added.

—VAL, GMA Integrated News