GINGOOG City’s rice supply remains sufficient despite a suspension of rice imports that will take effect tomorrow, September 1, officials said.
Acting City Agriculturist Ram Shurab S. Landiza told Gold Star Daily the city government has ensured that remaining stocks of imported rice will not exceed P49 per kilo.
He said he met with rice sellers at the Agora Market, who agreed to the price cap.
The city’s request, however, contradicts a recent call from Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., who urged the public to reject imported rice priced higher than P43 per kilo. As of Friday afternoon, imported rice at the Agora Market was priced at P48 per kilo.
The import suspension is intended to protect local farmers, who have been hit hard by low prices, particularly during harvest season.
While Gingoog has only 565 hectares of rice fields that produce about three million kilos annually, Landiza said the city’s supply is not in jeopardy.
He said the city’s estimated population of 149,000 consumes about 16 million kilos of rice per year, with regular local suppliers from neighboring provinces like Bukidnon and Agusan providing the rest.
“What we are concerned about here is the bad weather that could potentially damage our crops in the city and its surrounding areas, where the harvest season is from October to November,” Landiza said.
In preparation, the city government has asked Kadiwa Rice and the National Food Authority to secure funds for a subsidy that would allow residents to purchase rice at P20 per kilo.
