THE National Food Authority (NFA) will release Tuesday a new variety of imported rice to lower the prices of commercial variety, which has increased last week, surpassing the P50 per kilo mark.
Lorenzo Camayang, NFA manager for Davao City, said Monday that they will be selling the commercial quality Thailand rice at P35 per kilo.
The NFA outlets throughout Davao City will also continue to sell the P18.25 per kilo Vietnam rice and the P25 per kilo Thailand rice.
Camayang said the release of the P35 per kilo rice is meant to pull down the price of high-end commercial rice back to its ideal price, which is pegged at P34 per kilo.
At least 50 sacks of the P35 per kilo rice will be released for each NFA retailer weekly.
In an earlier interview, the NFA and other government agencies said they have no control over the surging prices of commercial rice, which has soared to as high as P52 per kilo last week in Davao City and in other areas of Mindanao.
Rice has been a deregulated commodity despite its being one of the most basic commodities in a Filipino household.
Camayang said by injecting varieties of rice, which are of comparable quality yet cheaper compared to those sold by most rice traders, the price of the staple would be stabilized.
NFA's first attempt to bring down the price of rice by injecting Thailand rice last week showed promising results. It has brought down the price of commercial rice by as much as P2 per kilo within three days only. (CPM)
