The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the government sold a total of 2,361.07 metric tons (MT) of subsidized rice through various programs from July 5, 2024 until May 23, 2025.
Based on data released by the agency on Wednesday, this total volume of National Food Authority (NFA) rice earned P77.36 million in sales and benefited 430,805 households.
The DA said the total rice stocks sold under the Rice-for-All (RFA) program from July 15, 2024 to May 15, 2025 reached 962.18MT, benefited 161,497 households, and earned P37.65 million.
Prices under RFA were at P43 per kg for 5 percent broken rice; P35/kg for 25 percent broken; and P33/kg for 100 percent broken, that can be purchased by the general public at Kadiwa rolling stores.
Meanwhile, total rice stocks subsidized and sold at P29/kg from July 5, 2024 to May 12, 2025, reached 1,304.02 MT, benefitted 259,821 households, and earned P37.81 million.
On the other hand, total rice stocks subsidized at P20/kg from May 13 to 23, 2025, reached 94.87 MT, benefitted 9,487 households, and earned P1.90 million so far.
In a separate development, DA spokesman Arnel De Mesa told reporters in a briefing in Quezon City on Wednesday, that the program to sell P20/kg subsidized rice to minimum wage earners will start with the signing of agreements between private companies and the government through the Food Terminals Inc. (FTI).
“So, what will happen with this scheme is there will be a contract or a PO (purchase order) between a company and FTI. They will enter into a contract through a memorandum of agreement. Companies will tell how much rice they will need to sell at P20 per kg to minimum wage earners,” De Mesa explained.
After signing the contracts, the FTI will advise the company on how to coordinate with the nearest facility of the NFA in getting their rice stocks, De Mesa said.
“The distribution of the subsidized rice will be dependent on the company’s decision. It can be done through a salary deduction or whatever scheme the company needs to do to distribute the rice so long as it will be sold only at P20 per kg,” de Mesa further said.
Earlier, the DA said the first batch of 120,000 minimum wage earners identified by their private companies, will be allowed to buy the P20/kg rice at a monthly limit of 10 kg. each, starting on June 13.
In the National Capital Region, the minimum wage for non-agricultural private sector workers has been pegged at P645 per day since June 2024.
Based on the DA’s monitoring of public markets in the National Capital Region, local well-milled rice sold for P38 to P48/kg on Tuesday, while regular milled rice went for P30 to P45/kg.
Imported well-milled rice was selling for P38 to P48/kg while the price of imported regular-milled rice ranged from P35 to P45/kg.
Special-variety imported rice fetched P55 to P61 and premium rice, P43 to P50.
Special-variety local rice was selling for P50 to P65 per kg while premium rice went for P44 to P60 per kg.
These varieties are priced based on regular market forces and factors, and are not subsidized.
