The Department of Agriculture (DA) said the government will decide within the week on a possible government-to-government (G2G) rice importation to replenish the National Food Authority’s buffer stock.
Rex Estoperez, DA spokesperson, told reporters yesterday under the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL), only the President has the authority to call for the importation of rice in case of emergency.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. who is concurrent secretary of DA earlier indicated plans for a G2G rice deal with India.
Marcos said the importation is being considered to cushion the potential impact of El Niño and the recent typhoons on local harvest as well as to replenish NFA’s buffer stock which is only good for 1.56 days to date.
“The private sector continues to import but it seems that they are currently adamant because prices are so high. If we still have an inventory, what’s important is we can add more. We don’t know when the next storm will be or if there will be another calamity,” Estoperez said.
He said inter-agency meetings will be conducted in relation to the planned rice importation.
The RTL empowers the President to act with full delegated authority “in the event of any imminent or forecasted shortage or such other situation requiring government intervention…”
The law also states the President is empowered for a limited period and/or a specified volume, to allow the importation at a lower applied tariff rate to address the situation but such order shall take effect immediately and can only be issued when Congress is not in session.
Based on public markets monitoring by the DA in the National Capital Region as of yesterday, the per kg price of imported rice ranges from P49 to P58 for special variety; P46 to P50 for premium and; P44 to P48 for well milled.
No data is available on the price of regular milled.
For local rice, special variety is at P48 to P60 per kg; premium at P44 to P49 per kg; well-milled at P41 to P49 per kg; and regular milled at P37 to P44 per kg. -Jed Macapagal
