| Digos rice prices higher than in Davao City: Yap |
| Written by Eldie S. Aguirre and Nilo Mercado | |
| Tuesday, 24 June 2008 | |
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“The price is too high, much higher than those sold in Davao City.”
Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said in awe as he toured the central market of Digos City to confirm reports reaching his office of soaring prices of commercial rice in the city on Wednesday. Although Yap arrived in time where retailers are gradually reducing its selling price from P51 to P46 and P47 to P44 per kilograms for fancy rice and ordinary varieties, respectively – he was still shocked over the big margin compared to other places in the country.
The provincial government and the city government of Digos entered into a bargaining plea with rice wholesalers, millers and retailers to reduce the selling price to P43.50 per kilograms (fancy rice such as F-1 and 7-Tonner varieties) and P41.50 per kilograms for ordinary varieties.
Yap has ordered NFA provincial director Nestor Majaducon to expedite the distribution of affordable NFA rice in the market and the government subsidized rice sold at P18.25 per kilo to pull down the retail prices of commercial rice in Davao del Sur.
He was apparently dismayed on what he had witnessed during his surprised visit to Digos City saying this could not be happening knowing that Davao del Sur is among the top 5 rice producing provinces in the country.
The NFA is set to flood the market with the P25 per kilograms Thailand rice, and the more expensive NFA rice variety sold at P35 per kilograms.
As this developed Henry Sorongon and Yolanda Crispino – who are both big time wholesalers in the region with base in Digos City pledged to help the government in its campaign through the delivery of stocks that could be retailed at P38 per kilograms in the market.
“They already made commitments about this thing to us,” Majaducon told the media.
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