The Department of Agriculture (DA) announced plans to further reduce rice prices in Kadiwa stores, making the staple food more affordable for Filipinos. The DA will reduce rice prices under the Rice-for-All (RFA) program, available at Kadiwa ng Pangulo (KNP) stores, starting February 12th. Prices will be lowered by as much as ₱3 per kilo. Currently, RFA5 rice (with no more than 5% broken grain) is priced at ₱45 per kilo, RFA25 (25% broken) at ₱38, and RFA100 (100% broken) at ₱36. Starting February 12th, RFA5 rice will be priced at ₱43 per kilo, RFA25 at ₱35, and RFA100 at ₱33.The price reduction reflects a drop in global rice prices and an increase in domestic supply as the local harvest season gets underway.
The KNP program will continue to provide rice at ₱29 per kilo, which will only be available for vulnerable sectors. This rice comes from aging stocks of the National Food Authority (NFA).
The DA's move to trim down RFA prices is in line with Executive Order (EO) No. 62 of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. last year, which cut rice tariffs from 35% to 15%. The DA is also working to ensure fair compensation for local farmers by procuring palay (unmilled rice) at a price of ₱21 to ₱23 per kilo. The NFA will release approximately 150,000 metric tons (MT) of rice based on the recent declaration of a good security emergency on rice. The DA's efforts to reduce rice prices in Kadiwa stores are part of a broader strategy to address rising food prices and ease the pressure on inflation.
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