Prices of local rice, seasonal veggies remain stable: DA

MANILA – Prices of locally-produced rice, seasonal vegetables including those used as pinakbet (mixed vegetables) ingredients, and onion remained stable.

In the Laging Handa public briefing aired Thursday, Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said stable prices appear to give consumers a little leeway amid the mounting crude prices for some time.

“Panahon po ngayon ng anihan, ang presyo po ng palay ay maganda naman po, nasa disisyete hanggang disi-nuwebe, ang disinuwebe naman po, iyan ang buying price ng National Food Authority at maganda naman po sa karamihan sa atin ang palay (It’s harvest season, the prices of rice are good, ranging from PHP17 to PHP19; PHP19 is the buying price of the National Food Authority, most of our rice are of good quality),” he said.

Meanwhile, regular milled rice ranges from PHP36/kg to PHP38/kg; the price of well-milled rice is about PHP39/kg to PHP42/kg; while the fancy or premium rice amounts to more than PHP40/kg.

Reyes said although the Philippines has been able to increase its self-sufficiency for rice, the country still needs to import the staple to sustain a stable supply.

“Although gumaganda na ang ani ng ating palay mula pa noong 2019 – umabot na ng 19 million metric tons, naging 19.2 na ngayon ay 19.96 noong last year. So umaangat na po, 92 percent sufficient na po tayo sa bigas kaya lang kulang pa po ng walong porsyento (Although we are having a good rice harvest, ranging from 19 million metric tons, then 19.2, and even up to 19.96 last year… It’s increasing, we’re 92 percent self-sufficient for rice, but we still lack the 8 percent),” he said.

The DA also said prices of seasonal vegetables remain at ease, particularly string beans, squash, okra, bitter melon, eggplant, or those in pinakbet (mixed vegetables).

Even the price for onions which usually come from Nueva Ecija maintains its stable range.

“Maganda po ang presyuhan ngayon, nasa PHP30 to PHP35 per kilo po ang pula. Iyan naman po ang karamihan nating tinatanim at inaani, karamihan dito sa Luzon po lalo na sa Nueva Ecija (Price rates are now good, it ranges from PHP30 to PHP35 per kilo for red [onions]. Most of which are planted and harvested in Luzon, particularly in Nueva Ecija),” he added.