BY: REY ANTHONY H. CHIU
CEBU CITY, June 18 (PIA) – Prices of commercial rice and its supply remain stable in Central Visayas assured the chief of the National Food Authority (NFA-7) amid reports that costs of commercial rice in Manila have risen to as much as P2/kilo.
NFA-7 Regional Director Atty. Danilo Bonabon admitted that during the lean months from June to August, the prices of ‘palay’ usually goes up which is quite normal.
“If the ‘palay’ is bought at P23 per kilo, then the market price will increase almost double or over P40/kilo,” said Bonabon during the weekly forum of the Association of Government Information Officers (AGIO-7) this morning that tackled the topic “Rising Costs of Commercial Rice and Stability of Supply in Central Visayas.”
Bonabon said factors like post harvest losses must be taken into consideration from handling to milling until it gets to the table which approximately will not fall below 10 percent and not to mention the transport costs.
The NFA-7 chief said Central Visayas has always been deficit in rice production with the exception of Bohol which is self-sufficient. “Our sufficiency level is only at 33 percent while the remaining 67 percent gap is filled by other regions,” said Bonabon adding that Manila is the region’s biggest supplier.
But even if prices of commercial rice are still within ‘normal’ range, Bonabon said he has instructed NFA employees to check rice prices in the different public markets prior to reporting to office and before going home.
“We are conducting regular monitoring on prices of rice to check whether there is an unusual or abnormal soaring of prices. But so far, everything is normal,” said Bonabon.
Bonabon also said he is coordinating with market officials and local government units for them to report any alarming rise of rice prices.
According to Bonabon, the modal cost of commercial rice is at P42/kilo while the most expensive premium rice is ‘Ganador’ which costs P54/kilo.
Bonabon said when the harvest season begins by September, prices of rice varieties are expected to go down.
The NFA-7 on the other hand, also assured there is sufficient supply of rice for Central Visayas with over one million bags while the regional consumption level for one month is only estimated at 32,000 bags.
The buffer stocks will even be augmented with the arrival of more than one million bags with 700,00 for Region 7 and 840,000 bags for Region 8, said Bonabon.
The Philippines will be importing 800,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam which part of the volume will arrive in the country this week. (mbcn/FCR/ PIA7 with reports from Kristal Eduyan, PIT intern)