By Dean Aubrey Caratiquet
As the government continues to find ways to help Filipinos to navigate these difficult times, the Department of Agriculture (D.A.) marches forward with an array of interventions meant to ease the burden of rising fuel prices on the common folk.
Such was the case with the agency’s proposed price ceiling on imported rice, in response to the uptick in shipping and farm input costs that may eventually influence prices of staple grain sourced from other countries.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the government is studying a cap of about P50 per kilo on imported rice, a level he said would keep retail prices in check without dragging down farmgate prices for palay, “We are studying the imposition of a price cap on imported rice, possibly P50 per kilo.”
Secretary Tiu-Laurel said the DA is now looking at the legality of imposing a price ceiling at this time and, if legally permissible, will recommend it to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. as part of a package of actions to deal with the impact of the latest oil shock.
Should it be approved by the Chief Executive and implemented right away, the price cap would ensure that Filipinos continue to have access to affordable and quality staple grain without compromising the integrity of the domestic agriculture sector.
The Agriculture chief meanwhile noted that as of press time, a similar price ceiling on locally produced rice remains unlikely as farmers continue to enjoy improved palay prices during the current harvest cycle.
These actions being undertaken by the government are part of a comprehensive response to the ongoing geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran, with the latter’s moves to control traffic passing through the Strait of Hormuz causing a bottleneck on fuel supplies en route from the Middle East to various countries in Asia, including the Philippines.
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