DA to attempt ‘Rice-for-All’ selling price cut

The Department of Agriculture (DA) plans to further reduce the selling price of the grain staple under its “Rice-for-All” initiative this month, on January 2, 2025.

During PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas Ngayon, DA Assistant Secretary and Spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said they are targeting to start lowering the price of rice under the program to about P38 to P39 per kilo.

“Nagsimula tayo diyan, nagbenta tayo ng P45 per kilo naibaba iyan sa P43.00 at P42.00 at nito nga bago matapos ang taong 2024 ay naibaba pa iyan sa P40.00 per kilo,” De Mesa said.

“At ngayong taon na ito, this January ay ilulunsad naman, mas mababa pa ang presyo – between P38.00 to P39.00 [per kilo],” he said.

The Presidential Communications Office (PCO) last week said that the “Rice-for-All” program is now making a “dent in the staple’s price” as rice retailers in Metro Manila markets are beginning to lower their prices to compete with the government’s ongoing initiative. 

Apart from lowering the price of well-milled rice sold in Kadiwa stores, the DA is also eyeing to sell much cheaper rice varieties this month. 

De Mesa said the agency will initially launch “Sulit Rice” and “Nutri Rice” programs in Metro Manila.

Under the “Sulit Rice” initiative, the DA would sell “100% broken” rice at P35 to P36 per kilo. 

At the same time, brown rice will be much healthier at P37 to P38 per kilo under the “Nutri Rice” program, according to an agriculture official.

“Maganda pa naman ‘yung quality. Ang kaibahan lang talaga nito ay broken ang bigas na ito. ‘Yung ‘Nutri Rice’ naman ito ‘yung in between natin ng well-milled at saka yung tinatawag natin na brown rice. Maraming nutrients na natira ito,” said De Mesa. 

(The quality is still good, but this is broken rice. On the other hand, the ‘Nutri Rice’ is between the well-milled and brown rice. This is also packed with nutrients.) 

Meanwhile, the government’s “Rice-for-All” program will be more affordable even though La Niña —which brings above-average rainfall—is expected to pose challenges to farmers in the first quarter of 2025. 

“Yung P38 to P39 na presyo ng ‘Rice-for-All’ ay magsisimula na rin ngayong taon,” De Mesa said. 

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. will lead a meeting on January 3 that will finalize a plan to remove branding on rice after he said that retailers and traders are intentionally confusing consumers with premium rice imports to justify the high prices of the grains.

The DA is selling well-milled rice at P40 per kilo in several Kadiwa locations in Metro Manila, including several MRT-3 (Ayala Avenue and North Avenue) and LRT-2 (Cubao and Recto) stations.