Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has made it clear that there will be no rice supply shortfall in the country this year but the challenge will be how to keep the prices down.
Consumers have been complaining that rice prices in Bacolod City markets have gone as high as P10 more a kilo.
“The president was very clear that there will be no rice shortfall, if we’re short of production the next resort will be to import,” he said Thursday, August 17.
Negros Occidental is 84 percent rice sufficient so it will definitely need rice to come in, Lacson said.
“Bringing rice prices down is a challenge right now although I know the president is trying to really bring it down to his promised price,” he said.
“The problem is India deciding not to export rice, that alone will affect us”, he said.
Although there are other countries where rice can be bought, “there could be a price war and I am afraid the Philippines will not be able to compete with bigger countries”, Lacson said.*