Bago traders, retailers comply rice SRPs

RICE traders and retailers in Bago City are compliant with the suggested retail prices (SRPs) set for milled rice, the Local Price Coordinating Council (LPCC) Wednesday, November 21, reported.

The council chaired by Mayor Nicholas Yulo has been conducting strict monitoring among markets and other rice-selling outlets in the city, it said.

LPCC, also composed of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) as vice chair and City Agriculture Office, is also closely coordinating with the Joint Inspection and Enforcement Team.

Aside from SRPs, prescribed labeling of rice boxes and price tags were also implemented in the city, it added.

The National Food Authority (NFA) in Negros Occidental earlier said it is also strictly monitoring the compliance on SRPs which took effect on November 11.

This is 15 days after the implementing guidelines were published in a newspaper of general circulation on October 26.

Based on the general guidelines stated on the Memorandum Circular issued by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on October 24, the SRPs set for local rice range from P39 to P47 per kilogram depending on classification.

Regular milled rice costs P39 per kilogram while well-milled and premium rice cost P44 to P47 per kilogram, respectively.

For imported rice, on the other hand, the SRP for well-milled is P39 per kilogram while those for premium grade one and two are P43 and P40 per kilogram, respectively.

Under the guidelines, special rice such as glutinous, aromatic, pigmented, japonica, and micronutrient-dense rice are not covered by the SRPs.

Aside from the SRPs, the agency also set prescribed standard specifications on the labeling of rice boxes and price tags.

The classification of rice should only be regular milled, well-milled, premium grade, and special rice.

Also, the classification in rice boxes shall be printed in black bold letters with white background.

In terms of price tags, the circular stated the prescribed information shall be the price per kilogram.

The guidelines further stated that any violation shall be subjected to the penal provisions of existing laws, rules and regulations including but not limited to the Price Act and the Revised Rules and Regulations of the NFA on grains business.