DA admits price of ₱20kg of rice hard to achieve

CNN Philippines

Lawmakers zeroed in on President Bongbong Marcos’ promise to bring down the price of rice to 20 pesos per kilo at the budget briefing of the Agriculture department. DA officials admit, reaching that price would be a long shot.  Xianne Arcangel has more.  Visit our website for more #NewsYouCanTrust: https://www.cnnphilippines.com/  Follow our social media pages:  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CNNPhilippines • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cnnphilippines/ • Twitter: https://twitter.com/cnnphilippines

Transcript

00:00 The 20-peso price per kilogram of rice would likely remain an unfulfilled promise going

00:05 by the pronouncements of the Agriculture Department.

00:07 DA officials were grilled on President Bongbong Marcos' campaign promise at the hearing of

00:12 the House Appropriations Committee.

00:14 Mr. Marcos, who is also the Agriculture Secretary, was absent at the hearing, so the task of

00:20 explaining the high prices of rice fell on the undersecretaries.

00:23 "Is the 20 pesos viable as a campaign promise of the President using..."

00:30 "I cannot answer that, Mr. Chair.

00:35 To be honest, we never discuss about those things that you're asking, Mr. Chair, with

00:41 the President."

00:42 "Within the next two years, is it possible to produce 20 pesos per kilo of rice?"

00:48 "Next two years, it might be difficult."

00:51 Based on the DA's latest data, a kilogram of rice in Metro Manila costs Php 46 to as

00:57 much as Php 65, depending on the quality.

01:00 DA officials blame the high prices on expensive imported rice and the steep farming costs.

01:06 The DA says rice prices will go down a bit when the harvest season peaks in October,

01:11 but lawmakers say the agency isn't doing enough.

01:14 "We expect, Mr. Chair, that by harvest time, it will stabilize at 45 to 46.

01:24 That will be good for our farmers."

01:28 "That's still far from the campaign promise of 20."

01:34 Outside the Batasang Pambansa, members of the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas protested

01:39 the poultry budget for agriculture.

01:41 The group notes the DA and Department of Aquarian Reform will only get barely 3 percent of the

01:46 proposed Php 5.76 trillion budget.

01:50 The DA isn't giving up on its goal to achieve a rice sufficiency rate of at least 95 percent

01:55 when Marcos' term ends in 2028.

01:58 Php 31 billion of its budget for 2024 has been allotted for boosting rice production.

02:04 During the hearing, the DA denied the existence of a rice cartel, which a lawmaker found hard

02:09 to believe.

02:10 "I don't believe, Mr. Chair, there's a rice cartel."

02:12 "The Philippines, this is my first time, this is my first time that you answered there

02:18 is no rice cartel."

02:19 "The DA needs to be aware that there is a rice cartel.

02:25 There is a price control for rice traders."

02:29 The DA backs the importation of rice to ensure ample supply while waiting for the harvest

02:34 season.

02:35 CNN Philippines.

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