Panayam kay, ASEC. Arnel De Mesa, Department of Agriculture
Category
🗞
NewsTranscript
00:00 the price cap of rice and updates on the price and supply of eggs
00:05 we will discuss with the Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel Demesa.
00:11 Asek Demesa, good afternoon to you.
00:15 Good afternoon to you and Eunice and to all the viewers. Good afternoon.
00:19 Alright sir, the President has already returned the price cap of rice.
00:26 What are the consumers' expectations regarding the price of rice in the market?
00:31 Yes, the President has already left, the Executive Order 39 has been lifted
00:36 which is based on the mandated price ceilings in our regular at 12-mil rice.
00:41 The good thing about this is that the rice of our farmers is continuous.
00:46 We expect that this October, the most rice will be harvested during the wet season.
00:54 And because of this, our national inventory stocks can reach 77 days this October.
01:03 And in the month of November, after the harvest for the wet season,
01:08 we expect that it will reach 94 days and there are no imports yet.
01:14 So we expect that our national inventory of rice will be good and large.
01:20 In this phase, sir, can we be sure that the supply of regular at well-milled rice is sufficient for now?
01:29 Yes, we can expect that the rice supply is sufficient, good and solid
01:37 that we can expect until the next year of 2024.
01:43 Alright, with that sir, just a follow-up, what is the projection of the DA on the rice supply this last quarter of the year?
01:52 Are we seeing any signals from the DA that the price of rice can rise again?
01:59 Because of what I mentioned earlier, that our harvest is high or bumper this wet season
02:08 from the end of August, this September, until October, until November,
02:14 we expect that we are not expecting that the price will rise again.
02:20 And if our additional imports will still enter, this last month of September, it reached more than 271,000 metric tons.
02:29 And historically, there are still many imports entering in the last quarter of the year.
02:35 Despite the price cap being removed, President Marcos Jr. said that he will continue to provide assistance to our fellow countrymen.
02:44 What are the government's assistance to our fellow countrymen who are going to harvest?
02:49 That's right, Ninia.
02:51 For now, our President approved the release of 12.7 billion in Rice Farmers Financial Assistance.
02:59 This is the 5,000 for each rice farmer who is harvesting 2 hectares below.
03:06 Aside from this, the free rice, high yielding varieties both inbred and hybrid, fattening machinery,
03:15 were also distributed.
03:16 To ensure that the current planting for the dry season, beginning of October, November,
03:23 is ready for our farmers to properly plant their crops in the upcoming dry season.
03:34 Okay.
03:35 Sir, yesterday, we talked to the Governor of South Cotabato and he told us about the project there
03:42 where the yield, the supply of rice, increased and the cost of production decreased.
03:50 And the yield of our farmers increased.
03:54 So, this is in South Cotabato where it doesn't rain that much or it doesn't rain, right, sir?
04:00 So, how about the other parts of the Philippines, like the Ilocos region, how are they doing?
04:07 Because it always rains.
04:10 That's right, Ninia.
04:11 On average, in our national, the cost of production per kilo of rice is about 13.7 pesos.
04:23 So, through new technologies, high yielding varieties, our machinery,
04:29 we will force it to be at par with our ASEAN neighbors, Vietnam, Thailand,
04:37 they are about 6 to 8 pesos the cost to produce.
04:41 So, we want to bring down, because our labor is expensive, our inputs are also expensive.
04:48 So, we want to be competitive.
04:51 What we are doing in South Cotabato is good.
04:54 We also want to bring balance fertilization, our bio-fertilizers, organic fertilizers,
05:02 so that we don't have to rely too much on expensive inorganic fertilizers,
05:08 and we can be sure that it will go down.
05:10 The machinery will help us bring down our labor cost.
05:14 So, in South Cotabato, the news yesterday was good, 5 to 6 pesos per kilo,
05:20 even lower in Vietnam and Cambodia, they achieved that.
05:26 So, my question is, does geography have anything to do with the planting of rice?
05:32 Because Vietnam and Cambodia don't have that much typhoons compared to the Philippines, right?
05:38 That's right. We are affected by 18 to 20 typhoons, 4 or 5 of them, very destructive every year.
05:46 Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, their land is wide and contiguous.
05:53 We are an island of nations, geographically speaking, so it's a bit divided, not that big,
06:00 except for Central Luzon, our big flood plains there.
06:05 That's why the level of production in Nueva Ecija is big, including the whole of Central Luzon.
06:11 So, the key here is to organize the logistics flow,
06:17 to ensure that the production in the areas that are abundant can be brought to the areas that are in need,
06:24 like the metro areas, Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Metro Dabao.
06:29 So, the key here is to ensure that our logistics flow and product supply can be organized for the next generations.
06:38 Sir, of course, if there is rice, we also have rice and vegetables, right?
06:43 This is one of the products that are sold in the markets, the eggs, especially for those on a diet.
06:50 Is there a truth that we need to have, that we are lacking in the supply of eggs until the end of this year, sir?
06:59 Let me explain, Eunice.
07:01 The eggs, actually, in one year, there are two occasions where the demand is really high.
07:08 During the Christmas season, our students come in, they eat eggs before leaving, and they also eat eggs normally.
07:16 And when Christmas is also coming, the demand for eggs is also high.
07:22 40% of our egg production is used by industrial users, those who make bread, cakes, in hotels and restaurants.
07:33 60% are our household users.
07:37 So, our production in the commercial is about 36 million eggs a day.
07:43 So, this is enough for the consumption of every Filipino of about 160 eggs per year, or it is equivalent to 8 kilos of eggs per Filipino in one year.
07:56 So, our level of production is good.
08:00 There are no native Filipinos who are also producing eggs. So, we are sure that it is good.
08:07 And our day-old bullets, which will be hens that will produce eggs when the time comes, the population is also enough for this time.
08:17 And with that, sir, of course, it is already the Bermond's.
08:20 So, it is coming, cakes are being made, and those who staycation are also in demand in hotels.
08:26 Do we have any updates on the price of eggs? Is it possible to increase it because you said earlier that it is in demand?
08:33 It will increase a little bit, but because our supply is stable, we did not expect that the price of eggs will increase very steeply.
08:44 How much is the price, sir?
08:46 For now, the medium is at 6.7 to 9 pesos per piece, the price of eggs, depending on where you will buy.
08:55 But the 6.7 is reasonable at this point.
08:58 Okay, for our countrymen to understand.
09:03 But before that, we have a question from our colleague in the media, Patricia Lopez of IBC 13.
09:10 Has the price range been discussed with DTI for Noche Buena products?
09:17 If yes, what is the price range and when will the official statement be issued regarding this?
09:23 The DA and we are continuously consulting with DTI and other agencies for various products, especially now that Christmas is coming.
09:34 And when we fix this, the official statement will be issued, the joint statement of the two companies.
09:41 And there is another question from Patricia Lopez of IBC 13.
09:46 Are there any cases of price manipulation in vegetables and onions?
09:52 Oh, sir, it's expensive.
09:54 Broccoli, one is 800 pesos, 500 to 800.
09:59 Broccoli, but you know, everything is expensive.
10:04 How can we be sure that there is no price manipulation in vegetables and onions now that Christmas is coming?
10:12 Because the rain has ended, the price of our vegetables is stable again.
10:18 So we can expect that the price of vegetables will really improve.
10:25 On onions, there was a big lesson that happened recently.
10:31 So we are now looking at this level of production.
10:35 So where else will the country get the production?
10:40 And if it's not enough and it needs to rise in other countries, our government will do it right away.
10:47 So it can be sorted again, the price of onions is not high anymore.
10:53 Yes, that's right.
10:54 But in baking, I still like to bake at home.
10:58 Baking is expensive, so if you buy it, cakes and baked products are expensive now.
11:04 So should we buy eggs now?
11:06 Eggs?
11:07 Not eggs, flour, for example, the ingredients of baking goods.
11:12 Just in moderation.
11:14 Don't hoard.
11:15 Yeah.
11:16 Alright, sir, this is your message to our viewers who are watching our program right now.
11:25 Again, thank you very much for the opportunity this afternoon.
11:30 And from Kagawaran, you can expect support and assistance for our farmers and fishermen.
11:39 And you can also expect high-quality products for the Filipino people.
11:45 Thank you very much.
11:46 Thank you very much for sharing your information with us, our guest,
11:51 Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Arnel Demesa.
11:55 Thank you.
11:56 - Thank you so much. - Thank you.