MANILA, Philippines- Inanunsyo ng Department of Agriculture (DA) na tatapyasan nito ang maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) para sa imported rice sa susunod na buwan.
“The maximum suggested retail price for imported rice will be lowered to P49 per kilo starting Saturday, March 1, marking the first time since the MSRP was introduced six weeks ago that it will slip below the P50 mark,” ang sinabi ni Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.
Gayunman, inihayag ni Tiu Laurel na ang MSRP ay hindi ipatutupad sa buong bansa.
Sa halip, ang DA ay gagawa ng mas maraming “surgical” sa pamamagitan ng pagpapataw ng MSRP “selectively in Metro Manila, key cities, and other urban centers.”
“In many provincial areas, we’ve seen prices of imported rice already lower than the MSRP. So we will apply it more selectively,” wika ni Tiu Laurel.
Matatandaang ipinakilala ng DA ang MSRP noong January 20, nagtakda ng inisyal na presyo na P58 kada kilo.
Ang pagpapatupad ng MSRP sa imported rice ay inilarawan ng DA bilang isang “non-coercive measure.”
Unti-unti namang binabawasan ng DA ang MSRP para pagaanin ang transisyon para sa rice industry.
“Before the introduction of the MSRP, imported rice that are 5% broken were sold between P62 and P64 per kilo,” ang sinabi ng DA.
“We will review the numbers in the coming days to determine if there’s room to lower the MSRP further. As of now, there could be scope for additional reductions, but we’ll have to see,” ang pahayag pa rin ni Tiu Laurel. Kris Jose
