The Department of Agriculture (DA) has expanded its P29-a-kilo rice program to three more Kadiwa centers in Metro Manila selling low-priced but good quality rice to vulnerable households.
The test sites are in Malabon, Navotas and Nangka, Marikina where senior citizens, persons with disabilities, solo parents and members of government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino program can buy rice for only P29 a kilo.
The staple at this price is initially available in ten sites including offices of the Bureau of Animal Industry and the National Irrigation Administration in Quezon City, the Bureau of Plant Industry in Manila, Food Terminal Inc. in Taguig City, the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority in Las Pinas, Caloocan City, Valenzuela City, barangays Fortune and BF City in Marikina and San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan.
Genevieve Velicaria-Guevarra, DA assistant secretary for consumer and legislative affairs overseeing the KADIWA program, said three more sites may be opened in provinces near Metro Manila before the end of the month.
“We continue to learn from this large-scale trial, particularly on the demand for low-priced rice, amount and source of supply and logistics needed to sustain this program and expand it across the country. We are also looking at areas outside Metro Manila where there are plenty of vulnerable households,” Guevarra said.
Earlier, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. asked local government units in Metro Manila to identify sites suitable for Kadiwa centers to expand program reach.
Kadiwa centers provide a rent-free marketplace for farmers cooperatives and associations to sell their harvest and produce like vegetables, fish, eggs, pork and chicken at wholesale prices. Other food producers also sell discounted canned and manufactured goods.
Aside from cheap rice, select Kadiwa centers also sell the staple under the Rice for All program where well-milled rice is available at prices lower than the market but of the same quality.
The DA said rice under the Rice for All program sells from P45 to P48 a kilo.
The price of local well-milled rice ranges from P48 to P55 a kilo while regular-mill rice sells from P45 to P50 a kilo.
Imported well-milled rice sells from P52 to P55 a kilo while the price of imported regular-mill rice sells from P47 to P51 a kilo.
Imported special variety rice sells as high as P65 a kilo and from P52 to P62 a kilo for premium.
Local special variety rice costs P57 to P65 a kilo and from P51 to P58 a kilo for premium.
