The Department of Agriculture (DA) has secured a rice quality analyzer (RQA) for the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), a key policy move to enforce national rice standards, build a reliable grains database, and fully implement the amended Agricultural Tariffication Law.
The equipment meets the legal mandate to upgrade testing capacity. It measures over a dozen quality traits—including grain size, purity, milling grade, and composition—producing scientific data to verify compliance with Philippine standards. The data will also help develop clear technical markers to tell local rice apart from imported supplies, after further validation.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the tool gives the government stronger legal basis to act against adulteration, mislabeling, misclassification, and fraud. Test results will serve as valid evidence in investigations and court cases, protecting both consumers and honest traders.
The acquisition supports broader efforts to stabilize prices and tighten market oversight, following the recent P50-per-kilogram price ceiling on imported rice amid ongoing supply and cost concerns. BPI teams will use the analyzer during regular inspections of markets, warehouses, and supply chain points, working with DA’s marketing and consumer protection units. Data gathered will guide future policies and enforcement operations.
As of May 25, prevailing retail prices in Metro Manila stood at P50/kg for local well-milled and regular milled rice; imported equivalents sold at P48/kg and P42.50/kg respectively. Premium and special varieties ranged from P50/kg to P60/kg for both local and imported sources.
