By Eileen Mencias
The Department of Agriculture announced that the National Food Authority (NFA) will begin selling its existing rice stocks at P29 per kilo to assist low-income groups, alongside plans to import 363,697 tons of rice to bolster NFA reserves.
The DA expects to spend at least P28.39 billion on the rice imports, which will supply the country for 19 days.
The P29 per kilo selling price for vulnerable sectors is higher than the P25 per kilo price the NFA sold to traders, which led to the suspension of several personnel.
“Although the new NFA selling price is higher than the previous price of P25 per kilo, it is nonetheless a significant discount compared to the prevailing market price, ensuring that poverty-stricken Filipinos have access to their main food staple,” the DA said.
The DA explained that the NFA selling price was increased to reduce the subsidy that the government will provide to the poor under its Bigas 29 program.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. estimates that the subsidy will cost the government around P1.39 to P1.53 billion a month and that the government will spend at least P28.39 billion to buy the imported rice.
The Bigas 29 program targets vulnerable sectors, specifically persons with disabilities, solo parents, senior citizens, those under the 4P program, and eventually indigenous peoples. Approximately 6.9 million households, or over 34 million Filipinos, are expected to benefit from it.
The rice will be made available in KADIWA stores, and the government has started a dry run of the Bigas 29 program. Each household will be allowed to buy 10 kilos per month, which translates to only 2.5 kilos per week.
The Bigas 29 program will officially roll out in early July.
