ZAMBOANGA CITY — Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has issued a stern warning against price manipulators and grains retailers who will not follow the Suggested Retail Price (SRP) on rice that will be implemented starting next week.
Piñol issued the warning as he and local DA officials visited the public market here on Wednesday afternoon to monitor rice prices.
He said businessmen found hoarding rice just to jack up its price will be dealt with accordingly.
“Let me make this clear — we will make arrests,” Piñol said. “This government means business.”
He said there will be no more branding of rice, which will be classified into regular milled, well-milled, premium, and special rice.
The SRP of rice will be as follows: regular milled, PHP39 per kg.; well-milled, PHP40; and premium, PHP43. There is no SRP for special rice.
Piñol noted that the SRP would not be constant as it would depend on the prevailing price of palay.
Violators, he said, will be slapped with a jail term ranging from four months to four years, a fine of PHP2,000 to PHP1 million, as well as revocation of license.
Piñol also visited the Philippine Coconut Authority’s experiment station in Sitio San Ramon, Barangay Talisayan this city. (/PNA)
