The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday, June 23, vowed to monitor the prices of food and agricultural commodities amid the Israel-Iran conflict.
“Ang pangako ko lang sa inyo, nakatutok ang Presidente natin dito, nakatutok kami dito sa DA sa mga pagkain (What I can promise is that President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is closely watching this, we at the DA are on close watch to our foods),” DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in an ambush interview.
Tiu Laurel refrained from giving projections on possible price adjustments on agricultural commodities, noting that the global situation remains “very fluid.”
He, however, noted that price hikes may primarily be felt on imported goods if unscrupulous traders take advantage of the situation.
“Kung tumaas iyong imported, baka taas din nila (If imported goods increase, they may also increase),” Tiu Laurel said.
He also cited the possible impact of rising fuel costs on the delivery of agricultural products.
For rice prices, he said the DA may put on hold the plan to lower the maximum suggested retail price (MSRP) for 5 percent broken imported rice from PHP45 per kg. to PHP43 per kg. on July 1 for at least another month or more.
The DA earlier said the move would be in place while awaiting a more stabilized situation.
“Noong unang, binanggit ko na wala dapat masyadong epekto iyan (At first, I said there should be no significant effects yet), as I was looking at something short-term. (But) until the end of the year naman tingin ko wala tayong problema sa bigas (I think we have no problem with rice),” Tiu Laurel said.
To date, the prevailing prices of imported premium and well-milled rice in Metro Manila are PHP45 per kg., and PHP43 per kg. for imported regular-milled rice.
