Price of rice soars as supply drops

By December 3, 2023Business

A FEW days into the Christmas holiday season, Pangasinenses woke up last week being confronted with another spike in the prices of commercial rice in the province’s markets.

Midrange-quality rice was already being sold for P55 per kilogram in public markets, or P15 higher from the previous P40.

Well-milled rice was being sold at P56 per kilo, originally at P52.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPAG) said the increase in the price of commercial rice was due to a decrease in rice supply, mainly due to El Niño.

Lower rice supply is expected until the first quarter of 2024 because majority of the province’s rice farmers have since opted to plant crops requiring less water, unlike rice.

According to PAGASA, when Pangasinan begins to experience drought in the first quarter of 2024, water supply for farmlands will be scarce due to lack of rainfall, and way below average the amount if it ever rains. (Ahikam Pasion)

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