Davao consumers balk at high rice price

Apr. 13, 2008

A young woman frowns at the sight of surging prices of rice, a kilo of which costs only 24 pesos, as of March 18, when this picture is taken. NFA rice costs only 18 pesos. Now, prices of commercial rice already reaches P30. Davao city Mayor Rodrigo Duterte blamed the conversion of former riceland to other cashcrop for the present rice problem. “Lands that are used to be planted with rice and corn are now planted with bananas,” he said. Meanwhile, the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo assures the public that the country has enough supply of rice. (davaotoday.com photo by Jonald Mahinay)

A young woman buys the cheapest rice in one of the stalls in Bankerohan public market. Rice prices surge following reports on dwindling local and global supply. The National Rice Farmers Council expects a 60 percent increase in the prices of rice—based on the current average prices—if a shortage is felt in July to September, considered the lean agriculture month in the Philippines. The Arroyo government keeps on assuring the public of enough supply while Ibon Foundation, an independent think-tank, calls on the the National Food Authority (NFA) to step up its procurement of local palay instead off depending on imports to address the crisis.” (davaotoday.com photo by Jonald Mahinay)

comments powered by Disqus