DA-10 enhances Commodity Price Monitoring in NorMin

 

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY — Aiming to maintain reasonable rice prices in the market, the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) headed by Regional Executive Director Jose Apollo Y. Pacamalan, convened stakeholders to discuss price monitoring initiatives on January 6 at the agency compound.

Attended by rice importers, members of the city’s Local Price Coordinating Council, and representatives from the Department of Trade and Industry-10, the activity centered on key discussions on the importers’ participation in the Kadiwa Rice-for-All program of the DA-10.

Through this program, rice is sold at prices ranging from PhP36 to PhP45 per kilo at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo kiosk in Cogon Market, which eyes to encourage the general market to offer selling their rice at lower prices.

Likewise, Executive Order No. 62 was highlighted during the meeting, as the issuance modifies import duty rates for various commodities, including a reduction in rice tariff rates from 35% to 15% for imported rice as it aims to ensure affordability for consumers.

To enhance monitoring efforts, the reactivation of the Regional Bantay Presyo Monitoring Team (RBPMT) was agreed upon. The team will strictly oversee commodity prices in the market, focusing not only on rice but on all major agricultural and fishery products to ensure fair pricing and accessibility for consumers.

The RBPMT is initially established by the agency in 2018 under Special Order No. 271, directing the conduct of regular price and supply monitoring of agricultural commodities across the supply chain, from farms to public and private markets.

DA-10 still plans to continue discussions on price monitoring initiatives to ensure their effective implementation across the region.# (EJLG)