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MANILA – As part of the solution to bring down retail rice prices in the country, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is rolling out KADIWA Centers through the KADIWA Program in Metro Manila.
In a news release on Sunday, the DA said these centers offer rice at PHP29 per kilo in certain areas, along with other basic necessities and prime commodities at lower prices (BNPCs) such as fish, eggs, onions, garlic, fresh vegetables, and fruits.
The PHP29 per kilo rice is available at the following locations: ADC Building of the Department of Agriculture - Central Office in Quezon City; KADIWA Center inside the Bureau of Plant Industry in Malate, Manila; KADIWA Store - Llano Road in Barangay 167, Caloocan City; KADIWA Store, AMVA Housing, La Mesa Street in Barangay Ugong, Valenzuela City; and KADIWA Center, PhilFIDA Compound, Aria Street, Talon Dos, Las Piñas City.
The DA said each household may purchase a maximum of five kilos of rice from KADIWA Centers, subject to availability. The supply is influenced by various factors including transport, packaging and logistics, among others.
The sale of rice at PHP29 per kilo will continue as the government projects to produce more than 100 million kilos of rice by August this year through contract farming agreement with Farmers' Cooperatives Associations (FCAs).
To date, there are a total of 265 regular KADIWA stores nationwide and 119 KADIWA pop-up stores that operate on a scheduled basis to respond to consumer demand.
KADIWA is one of the flagship programs of the Marcos administration addressing rising food prices. It also provides farmers, fisherfolk, and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) with venues to sell their produce and facilitates market linkages, thereby offering products at much lower prices by removing unnecessary layers in the trading cycle.
Earlier, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. announced he would certify as urgent the proposed amendments to Republic Act 11203, also known as the rice tariffication law (RTL), to lower rice prices in the country.
President Marcos stated that the House of Representatives and the Senate have found a solution that would allow the government to import rice, eventually reducing rice prices. (PR)
