PH Rice Prices Continue to Soar
The Philippines is in need of an immediate counter-action from the Department of Agriculture amid the speedy increase on rice prices.
Rice is a staple food in the Philippines. It is present in the dining table at least three (3) times a day in most households — breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Paired with viand, it is something that many Filipinos can eat at any time of the day or night and it is the energy-booster of countless individuals.
However, putting rice on the table nowadays is a more challenging task in the Philippines most especially for minimum-wage earners. The rice prices in PH accelerated to its highest increase within the last 14 years.
Recent data showed that the average national price of regular milled rice jumped from Php 46.73 in November 2023 to Php 48.50 in December 2023. It is higher than the Php 39.63 record for the December 2022.
Truth be told that at the start of the current administration, countless Filipinos really looked forward to efforts of greatly dropping the rice costs in the country. Rice is a staple food in the country and having it in low prices can greatly lessen the household expenses or boost the savings of the family.
Undeniably, a lot of households already struggle in poverty even before the rapid acceleration in the rice prices and inflation in the country. Thus, the costs of rice now surely added additional burden to countless Filipinos most especially breadwinners of the family.
It is my humble opinion that the rapid acceleration in rice prices in the Philippines needs an immediate and effective counter-action from the Department of Agriculture. The DA is mulling over implementing a Standard Retail Price (SRP) and I am hoping that the best rate that would be fair for all the parties involved will be implemented.
If the DA can find the way to pull down the costs of rice in the country, it will surely benefit countless Filipinos most especially the poor. Food is something that people can’t live without and I believe that the issue is as important as the safety and security aspects in the country.
Disclaimer: The content of the article posted above is an opinion of the writer. Also, the citations provided are based on the information deemed as facts by the different legit sources that contribute to the basis of the making of the whole viewpoint. The writer does not, in any form, intend to create inaccurate understanding of the topic or influence the readers instead, express one’s viewpoint in a formal manner.