DA to offer ‘sulit, nutri’ rice at P36-P38 per kg.

By Ruth Abbey Gita-Carlos, Philippine News Agency

KADIWA NG PANGULO. The Department of Agriculture jumpstarts its Kadiwa ng Pangulo kiosk selling well-milled rice for PHP40 per kilogram at Malabon Central Market in Malabon City on Thursday (Dec. 5, 2024). The low price was made possible following the tariff reduction on imported rice. (PNA photo by Yancy Lim)

MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to release new rice varieties called “sulit rice” and “nutri rice,” which will be sold at lower prices as a “New Year offering” to Filipinos.

During the Saturday News Forum in Quezon City, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra said the sulit rice will be priced at PHP36 per kg., while the nutri rice will be available at PHP38 per kg.

“Iyan po ‘yung balak naming (That’s our planned) New Year offering. Kumbaga bagong taon, meron tayong i-introduce na bagong varieties sa start of the year (We will introduce new varieties at the start of the year),” Guevarra said.

She described the nutri rice as “brownish,” while the sulit rice is white but “super broken.”

The new rice varieties, to be available starting 2025, will be in addition to the PHP40 per kg. price for mixed local and imported well-milled rice currently offered at Kadiwa stores.

When asked if further price cuts for rice at Kadiwa stores were possible, Guevarra said the government is “balancing” the situation, as such a move could have a “ripple effect” on farmers.

“Nakakadismaya din po sa mga magsasaka kung masyadong bababaan din po ang presyo ng bigas (It is also frustrating for farmers if the price of rice drops too low),” she said.

“Meron pong ripple effect kasi kapag masyadong binabaan naman. Of course, kung nagtatanim ako ng bigas, baka madismaya akong magtanim pa dahil kung ganiyan kababa, baka wala akong kitain (There’s a ripple effect if it drops too low. Of course, if I’m planting rice, I might be discouraged to plant more because, if it is that low, I might not make any money).”

The Kadiwa ng Pangulo’s (KNP) Rice for All program provides cheaper rice than prevailing market prices.

The DA is also planning to open more Kadiwa kiosks at major public markets nationwide, as well as at Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT) stations.

KNP kiosks operate in Kamuning Market, Malabon Central Market, New Las Piñas City Public Market, Pasay City Public Market, Guadalupe Market, MRT-North Avenue Station, and LRT-Monumento Station.

The DA is also considering new kiosks in the Balintawak (Cloverleaf) Market, Maypajo Public Market in Quezon City, Cartimar Market in Pasay City, Grace Market in Pateros, and Paco Market this month.