AGRICULTURE Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Thursday that the price of the 25% broken rice variety sold under the Department of Agriculture’s Rice-for-All program (RFA25) will be reduced from P40 to P38 per kilogram.
“This price reduction will take effect on Friday, just ahead of the implementation of the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) of P58 per kilo for 5% broken imported rice,” Secretary Tiu Laurel said during a joint public market inspection with Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque at the Mutya ng Pasig.
The MSRP for imported rice is set to be enforced beginning Monday, January 20, initially targeting Metro Manila markets. The measure will be reviewed monthly to reflect fluctuations in global market prices and tariff rates, with plans to extend the program to other key cities nationwide. Should imported rice prices frequently exceed the MSRP, the DA intends to implement a stricter Suggested Retail Price (SRP) framework accompanied by fines and penalties for violations.
According to Secretary Tiu Laurel, the MSRP framework includes a nominal profit margin of approximately P10 per kilogram above the landed cost of imported rice, excluding specialty rice varieties such as malagkit, Japanese, and black rice. “If world rice prices remain stable, we anticipate a reduction in the MSRP after the February review,” he added.
The current rice tariff, reduced from 35% to 15% under President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s Executive Order 62 last July to mitigate rice costs, is also under evaluation. This tariff policy mandates a review every four months, with the next assessment scheduled for March.
In addition to RFA25, the Rice-for-All program, a critical component of the KADIWA ng Pangulo initiative, features other affordable rice options for consumers. These include RFA5, which contains 5% broken grains priced at P45 per kilogram, and RFA100, a 100% broken variety, popularly known as “Sulit Rice,” available at P36 per kilogram.
Furthermore, the Rice-for-All program is complemented by P29 rice to ensure even wider access to affordable rice varieties. These offerings are being expanded across public markets and KADIWA centers to better serve Filipino consumers.
