QUEZON CITY: Celebrating World Food Day 2024, the Department of Agriculture (DA) placed the spotlight on local agricultural products, offering them for free or at discounted prices. The event, held at the DA’s central office, was themed “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future.”
According to Philippines News Agency, DA Undersecretary for Operations Roger Navarro emphasized the affordability of the showcased products, which included fresh vegetables, fruits, dried fish, and carabao milk. He noted that some items were priced approximately 20 percent lower than usual, sourced from various regions across the Philippines including Mindanao, Visayas, and Luzon.
Navarro also highlighted the event’s broader purpose, inviting the public to explore the exhibit of locally produced agricultural goods until October 16. He shared that by Wednesday, regional offices would also participate by displaying local foods. This initiative is part of the DA’s ongoing efforts to promote local agriculture and food secur
ity.
The undersecretary announced plans to significantly increase the accessibility of Kadiwa stores, aiming to add at least 1,500 more outlets. Currently, there are 500 Kadiwa stores nationwide. These stores play a critical role in the government’s strategy to make affordable food products available to more Filipinos, especially in densely populated areas.
Particularly noteworthy is the expansion of the Kadiwa ng Pangulo program, which currently operates 41 sites. This program offers economically priced rice, such as PHP43 per kilogram for well-milled rice under the “Rice for All” initiative and PHP29/kg for aging but good quality rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) under the P29 program. The DA has expressed intentions to expand this to 169 sites by year-end, ensuring that cheaper rice reaches consumers nationwide.
Navarro reassured that the DA is committed to continuing efforts to reduce rice prices in retail markets, potentially lowering them to PHP42 or PHP40 per kilogram. This strategy includ
es supporting farmers, implementing reduced tariffs on imported rice, and maintaining a lower but reasonable buying price for palay from farmers under the NFA. These measures are expected to help alleviate price pressures in the international market and make rice more affordable domestically.