ILOILO – The retail prices of rice local and imported increased.
But the price increase on imported (Vietnam) rice is higher, according to Gov. Arthur Defensor Jr. who spoke with rice retailers and vendors at the Oton Public Market in Oton town on Friday morning, Aug. 11.
Local rice is now sold at P44 to P46 per kilogram from P40 per kilogram around two weeks ago.
Imported rice from Vietnam is now at P55 per kilogram from P48 to P50 before.
“Daku ang ginsaka sang imported kag ang saka tag-P6 or P7 kada kilo, imported halin sa Vietnam,” said Defensor in an interview with DYRI RMN Iloilo yesterday.
He added: “Ang saka sa imported tag-P500 kay P2,500 na ang presyo subong nga sang una P2,000.”
During his inspection, the governor learned that rice in the province has three sources — locally produced here, local rice from Luzon and Mindoro, and imported rice from Vietnam.
Price increase also felt in Iloilo City
Susie Hocon, a rice retailer at the Iloilo Central Market for more than 20 years now, said the imported Jasmin rice now costs P1,250 for 25 kilograms, up from P1,000 before.
“Grabe pagsaka ya, little by little. Una may P50, may P20, kag may P30. Pero subong ang presyo P1,250 ang tunga sang sako ukon 25 kilos,” Hocon told Panay News .
She also worried that customers would think retailers were behind the price increase.
“Sa totoo lang wala na kami sang ginansya,” Hocon lamented.
She sells Jasmin rice (imported) for P60 per kilogram from P50 before; local rice for P47 to P48 per kilogram from P44 to P45; and special rice, or red rice, for P60 to P65 per kilogram from P55 to P58.
Johny Dela Cruz, a rice retailer at the Iloilo Central Market, said the same.
“Ang hambal ni President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. nga P20 per kilo. P20 siguro kag isa ka zero ang saka sang kada sako,” Dela Cruz said.
One of Marcos’ promises during the presidential campaign, which gained the attention of many Filipinos, was the lowering of rice prices, or the “P20 rice” promise.
Defensor previously said the provincial government will take measures to mitigate the impact of the price surge.
Among the proposed responses is implementing a “level-up hybrid rice program” to improve farmers’ yield per hectare.
According to the Provincial Agriculture Office, each farmer has a 3.5-metric-ton per hectare yield. With the hybrid rice seed, this could increase to 5.5 metric tons.
Defensor believes that if rice production in the province is sufficient, supply and prices will stabilize./PN
