The Department of Agriculture (DA) will expand its network of Kadiwa rolling stores in Visayas and Mindanao by next month to widen access to lower-priced farm goods including rice, outside of Metro Manila and Luzon.
“We expect to have at least 60 Kadiwa ng Pangulo stores across the country next month to provide more Filipinos with greater access to affordably-priced agricultural products, including the P29 per kilo rice intended for vulnerable sectors,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., in a statement.
There are 17 Kadiwa stores where subsidized rice is being offered every Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
DA said the goal is to have at least one Kadiwa store in each of the country’s nearly 1,500 municipalities.
Tiu Laurel said the DA will collaborate with the private sector to reach the ultimate target within the term of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.
“We have identified at least 650 sites for the Kadiwa ng Pangulo stores. But for us to reach the 1,500 target we need to open at least one store a day, which is almost impossible that’s why we need the private sector’s collaboration in this project,” Tiu Laurel said.
DA is in talks with food manufacturers to supply Kadiwa stores with basic goods like canned sardines, cooking oil, condiments as well as fresh fish and poultry.
