DTI and DA tighten market watch ahead of rice import ban

The government has stepped up its monitoring of food prices as the country moves closer to a rice import ban set for September.

On 29 August, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) carried out a joint price inspection in Navotas City. The initiative, which took place at the Navotas Agora Public Market and Ever Supermarket, was designed to check compliance with the suggested retail price bulletin and the ongoing nationwide price freeze.

DTI Secretary and National Price Coordinating Council Chair Cristina A. Roque, together with DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., personally led the inspections. The teams found that all 101 monitored stock keeping units of basic necessities and prime commodities were within the suggested retail price range. They also inspected agricultural staples such as meat, fish, and vegetables to ensure price stability across food groups.

Secretary Roque said the effort underscores the administration’s priority of keeping food affordable for Filipinos. “This joint operation with the Department of Agriculture is the foundation of our food security strategy. By ensuring the stable supply and fair pricing of rice, we are delivering on our promise to keep essential food items accessible to every Filipino family,” she said.

She added that the monitoring aligns with the government’s broader economic agenda. “We are working for a Bagong Pilipinas where basic goods remain affordable while ensuring that legitimate businesses have fair return on investment,” Roque said.