SAN JOSE CITY — Rice retailers in this northern Nueva Ecija city were advised to sell their stocks even if they will surely incur losses in view of the price cap imposition today, Sept. 5.
“Hindi baleng malugi muna kayo ng konti, kumita naman na kayo dati,” Mayor Mario Salvador told retailers who sought his guidance Monday.
“Tinatanong nila sa ‘kin kung magbubukas daw ba sila, sabi ko pag hindi sila nagbukas saan kukuha ng pagkain,” he said.
This city is home to at least 30 rice mill establishments that sell grains to Metro Manila and various parts of the country.
The mayor noted that the P41 a kilo price cap for regular-milled rice is even lower than the recurring price of “broken rice” which was P42 a kilo.
Salvador, whose family is also into rice trading, said he is looking into the possibility of buying the staple and sell it at subsidized price of around P43 a kilo of well-milled rice.
Residents here are not used to eating low quality grains, he said, saying most of them consume so called “Manila white” rice.
“Hindi, hindi dole out, subsidized lang,” he added.
Farmer leader Danilo Bolos of Santa Rosa town said farmers who harvested earlier got hit with the price cap last week even before the implementation of EO 39.
“Lumatay na po sa mga magsasakang umaani ngayon. Ang dating P22 to P25 per kilo ng sariwa (newly harvested palay), ay P18.50 na lang ngayon,” Bolos said.
