A House leader slams the Department of Agriculture's (DA) maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for rice at P58 per kilo, calling it unrealistic and detrimental to consumers. Garin argues that the MSRP should be lower, citing the drop in regular milled rice prices and reports of landed costs for imported rice between P35 and P39 per kilogram. She accuses the DA of neglecting its duty to monitor the rice supply chain, leading to inflated prices due to trader collusion and retail monopolies.
A House of Representatives leader criticized the Department of Agriculture (DA) on Wednesday for setting the maximum suggested retail price ( MSRP ) for rice at P58 per kilogram, calling the figure “unrealistic” and “a disservice to consumers.” During a hearing of the Murang Pagka in Supercommittee, Deputy Majority Leader Janette Garin of Iloilo accused the DA of failing to address key issues in the rice supply chain that have driven up prices. As a result, the panel, headed by Albay Rep.
Joey Sarte Salceda, decided to invite Secretary Francisco “Kiko” P. Tiu Laurel Jr. to the next hearing. “Why does DA have an MSRP of P58? Which planet does it come from, Mr. Chair?” Garin said during her interpellation. She argued that the MSRP should have been lower after the price of regular milled rice dropped. The DA plans to impose the P58 per kilogram MSRP for imported rice starting January 20. Laurel stated that the MSRP aims to balance business sustainability, consumer welfare, and farmer interests. Salceda questioned DA Undersecretary Asis Perez, who attended the hearing, about the basis for the P58 per kilogram MSRP. “The cost of imported rice has gone down to between P44 and P47, while the buying price for palay (unmilled rice) has also fallen,” Salceda noted. Perez defended the P58 MSRP as part of a pilot program in Metro Manila, where rice prices reportedly range from P62 to P64 per kilogram. He explained that the figure considers the landed cost of imported rice plus distribution chain markups. Perez said the P58 price “is based on the landed cost of imported rice, plus a reasonable markup for all those involved in the distribution chain; that chain is long.” Garin rejected this explanation, stating that rice prices in Mindanao range from P37 to P45 per kilogram, with premium varieties capped at P50. She pointed out that during an inspection and consultation with wholesalers in Bulacan, “it was announced in the media by no other than Sec. Kiko Tiu Laurel, together with the DA family, that they will bring down the price of rice to P45 to P49.” “How can we control the price of rice when the agency that is supposed to guide us is pegging it at a high price?” Garin questioned. She cited reports indicating that the landed cost of imported rice ranges from P35 to P39 per kilogram, significantly lower than the DA’s MSRP. Garin criticized the DA’s method for setting the MSRP, arguing that it relied on inflated market prices instead of actual production costs and reasonable margins. She also accused the DA of neglecting its responsibility to monitor and regulate the supply chain, alleging that collusion among traders and monopolistic practices among retailers were inflating prices.Formed under House Resolution 254, introduced by Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez, this Murang Pagkain Supercommittee brings together five key committees to identify gaps in government programs and hold accountable those responsible for market abuses. The joint panel is composed of the Committees on Ways and Means, Trade and Industry, Agriculture and Food, Social Services, and the Special Committee on Food Security.
Business Politics RICE PRICE CONTROL DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DA MSRP INFLATION COLLUSION SUPPLY CHAIN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES SUPERCOMMITTEE MURANG PAGKA
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