Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. announced that a maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) of P58 per kilo for imported rice will be implemented beginning 20 January.

Laurel explained that the MSRP aims to balance business sustainability while ensuring fair prices for consumers and reasonable profits for farmers.

“We must ensure the price of rice is fair and affordable, even as we make sure that the rice industry remains profitable. We cannot allow the greed of a few to jeopardize the well-being of an entire nation,” he said.

In a statement on Friday, Laurel said the MSRP would initially be implemented in Metro Manila and reviewed monthly to account for factors such as global rice prices. However, he noted that the MSRP is expected to be lower after the review, based on the current global price trends.

“The DTI fully supports the DA in all its initiatives. We will help in the monitoring and enforcement of prices set by the DA,” said Trade and Industry Secretary Cristina Roque.

In recent weeks, the Department of Agriculture (DA) has met with rice millers, traders, importers, retailers, and key government agencies—including the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Finance, and the Philippine National Police—to address persistently high rice prices.

Laurel, citing data and profit margins from importers and retailers, emphasized that imported 5-percent broken rice should not exceed P58 per kilo.

“For rice with a higher percentage of broken grains, the price should be much lower,” the Agri chief stressed.

More gov't efforts for cheaper rice

Furthermore, Laurel instructed Food Terminal Inc., a government corporation under the DA, to sell rice through KADIWA ng Pangulo centers and kiosks, offering rice options including 5 percent broken (RFA5) at P45 per kilo, 25 percent broken (RFA25) at P40, and 100 percent broken (RFA100), also known as Sulit Rice, at P36 per kilo.

The staple rice at KADIWA ng Pangulo stores is priced at P29 per kilo and is sold to vulnerable sectors such as indigents, persons with disabilities, senior citizens, single parents, and indigenous people.

Rice stored by the National Food Authority for at least two months will also be made available for resale to local government units in Metro Manila at P38 per kilo.