Vendors in two of the three main public markets in Bacolod City are compliant with the ₱50 per kilo price ceiling set for imported premium rice, a Department of Agriculture (DA) official said Friday, June 12.
The vendors at the Libertad and Central markets were compliant, DA Negros Island Region Director Jose Albert Barrogo said.
Most of the vendors at the Burgos Public Market were non-compliant because they purchased their stocks at the previous higher price from their suppliers, he said.
However, their suppliers have adjusted the price for their new stock, so they can now sell their imported premium rice at ₱50, Barrogo said.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued EO 118, imposing a nationwide temporary price ceiling on imported regular/well-milled rice (5 percent broken) for 30 days, subject to lifting upon the recommendation of the National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC).
The DA NIR Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division will again conduct inspections on compliance with the price ceiling on Saturday, Barrogo said.
In the three markets, the available imported rice brands monitored were Hasmin Rice, Master Chef, Princess Bea, Binhi Rice, Planters Blue, and Planters Yellow.
During the previous monitoring process, the DA team also checked other basic commodities in the market, including chicken meat and eggs, to ensure the right price and supply in the market.
This initiative is part of the ongoing efforts of DA-NIR, in collaboration with other government agencies, to ensure the proper and equitable implementation of policies related to the price and supply of rice and other basic commodities, Barrogo said .
Through regular monitoring and continuous coordination with rice retailers and market administrators, consumer welfare is expected to be protected and public access to affordable and quality food improved, he added.*
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