MANILA, Philippines – Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday, February. 3 declared meals safety emergency to handle the persistent “extraordinary” rise within the native worth of rice.
“There may be hereby declared a Meals Safety Emergency on Rice as a result of Extraordinary Improve in Costs,” Tiu Laurel mentioned in Division Round No. 03 on the emergency declaration.
Per the Division of Agriculture’s issuance, the meals safety emergency will stay in impact “till lifted or withdrawn by the Secretary,” topic to evaluate each 4 months.
The Division of Agriculture made this declaration as retail rice costs remained excessive regardless of the decline in world rice costs and discount in rice tariff charges from 35 p.c to fifteen p.c in July.
This was primarily based on the Nationwide Worth Coordinating Council’s (NPCC) suggestion, which said, “There may be a rare improve in worth of rice when the rice inflation has exceeded the higher certain goal for meals inflation and reached double digits,”
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The NPCC cited information from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) noting that rice inflation reached 17.9 p.c in September 2023, exceeding the higher band of the federal government’s goal of 4 p.c for meals inflation.
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The PSA studying is considerably larger than the rice inflation of 4.2 p.c recorded July 2023.
The DA additionally famous that costs of normal and well-milled rice stay elevated, up by 19 p.c and 20 p.c, respectively, in December final 12 months, in comparison with the interval earlier than the value spikes in July 2023.
Underneath the amended Rice Tariffication Legislation, the agriculture secretary is allowed to declare a meals safety emergency on rice as a result of provide scarcity or extraordinary improve in costs, as beneficial by the NPCC.
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