Rice prices may increase next week

A group of farmers has warned that rice prices may increase next week.

Samahan ng Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) President So explained this is because of the increase in its farm gate price.

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“₱2, pero sa ngayon ₱1 ang increase. Another ₱1 sa tingin natin sa susunod na linggo. Factor is ‘yung farm gate price from ₱21, tumaas ng ₱21.50, tumaas pa sa ₱22,” said So.

(₱2, but for now, the increase is ₱1. Another ₱1, we think next week. The factor is the farm gate price from ₱21, increased to ₱21.50, increased to ₱22.)

“Imported rice from ₱1,800 per bag, naging ₱2,000 per bag,” he added.

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The Department of Agriculture (DA) promised that they would monitor the rice prices.

“‘Pag dry season crop kasi eh talagang mahal po ‘yan. Nag-aagawan po ‘yung mga traders natin. Ito naman ay na-monitor natin at kausap lang natin ‘yung ibang mga organization na involved dito at may sinasabi po tayo na kung tataas ang presyo, nag- monitor tayo sa ating mga pamilihan. ₱38 pa rin po ang pinakamababang presyo, na ‘yan po ay normal na presyo po naman,” said DA Spokesperson Rex Estoperez on Monday.

(When it’s a dry season crop, it’s really expensive. Our traders are competing. We have monitored this, and we are just talking to the other organizations involved in this and we are saying that if the price increases, we will monitor our markets. The lowest rice price is still ₱38, which is the normal price.)

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Rice prices may increase next week

Meanwhile, the farmers called for aid to be given to solve the lack of onion supply in the country.

In a TV interview on Monday, Cathy Estavillo, a spokesperson for Bantay Bigas, said that giving help to onion farmers is still the best way to solve the problem in the long run.

Estavillo’s group was among those who launched a protest in front of the DA building in Elliptical Road, Quezon City, where they appealed to the government to take steps to stop the rising prices of goods.

It will be recalled that the government announced that they would import onions to stabilize the supply and price of the product in the country.

Onions go for ₱500 to ₱600 per kilo in markets in Metro Manila.

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