Marilyn Cahatol

Agri dept eyes P47 rice as harvest season boosts supply

Article (news)

Izzy Lee

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px;display:block" width="960"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/17858177698011785817769348.jpeg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="960" alt="Department of Agriculture assistant secretaries Arnel De Mesa and Genevieve Guevarra inspect the roll out of the rice-for-all program of the government at the Kamuning Public Market in Quezon City on December 5, 2024 which sells P40 per kilo well-milled rice at various markets in Metro Manila. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Department of Agriculture assistant secretaries Arnel De Mesa and Genevieve Guevarra inspect the roll out of the rice-for-all program of the government at the Kamuning Public Market in Quezon City on December 5, 2024 which sells P40 per kilo well-milled rice at various markets in Metro Manila. <em>Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — The Department of Agriculture (DA) is targeting a retail price of P47 to P50 per kilogram of local rice as the upcoming harvest season is expected to boost local supply, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Tuesday.</p><p>Tiu Laurel said rice supply remains sufficient and is expected to stay stable through the end of the year.</p><p>&quot;We have enough stocks of rice. Maraming local. Itong September maghaharvest na ng ibang areas. Kasagsagan ng harvest is October, November and December noh, so rice is very stable,&quot; he said.</p><p>He also said the National Food Authority (NFA) is in a stronger position to procure palay from local farmers, with warehouses now capable of purchasing up to 500,000 metric tons of additional palay.</p><p>&quot;Di kagaya last year, punong puno &#x27;yung warehouse namin. Ang instruction sa NFA, dapat halos wala nang laman &#x27;yung mga warehouses nila,&quot; he said.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/business/2026/7/23/agri-dept-to-boost-support-in-less-drought-hit-areas-as-el-ni-o-threatens-rice-output-1727">Agri dept to boost support in less drought-hit areas as El Niño threatens rice output</a></div><p>Meanwhile, Tiu Laurel said heavy rains may cause temporary price increases for some high-value vegetables, but are expected to last only for a few days to a week before prices ease.</p><p>&quot;Vegetables baka tumaas for a week or a few days and then bababa ulit &#x27;yan kung saan may malakas na na ulan naanuhan talaga yung high value crops natin. Sa situation ngayon, tingin ko days lang. Days ang spikes for high value but isda baboy stable pa,&quot; he said.</p><p>The DA also said it is stepping up preparations for El Niño through continuous cloud seeding operations.</p><p>&quot;Masaya tayo na medyo umuulan at nadagdagan ang mga tubig sa aming major dams at pumping, but even before that, nagkacloud seeding na ang DA in cooperation with the LGUs and the Philippine Airforce. So tuloy tuloy naman ang cloud seeding,&quot; he said.</p><p>&quot;Sa ngayon, I can more or less say no real issue. Napaghandaan natin itong darating na El Niño wag lang sigurong may malalang sakuna na mangyari o super typhoon na dadaan sa ating mga harvest area,&quot; he added.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/weather-traffic/2026/7/25/qc-drrmo-climate-change-supercharges-el-ni-o-typhoons-0038">QC DRRMO: Climate change supercharges El Niño, typhoons</a></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO:</strong></div><div style="text-align:center"><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/6Hb7-LK8jyk?si=jUiAigpPOzqTGa3k" title="YouTube video player" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div>

<p>The Department of Agriculture is targeting a retail price of P47 to P50 per kilo for local rice as the upcoming harvest season is expected to boost local supply.</p>

The Department of Agriculture is targeting a retail price of P47 to P50 per kilo for local rice as the upcoming harvest season is expected to boost local supply.