Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to conduct a study on the palay (unhusked rice) varieties that will match consumers' preferences. This initiative follows Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr.'s directive to address the reported low farmgate prices of wet palay in certain regions, attributed to the changing preferences of the Filipino market.

According to Philippines News Agency, DA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa announced in a press briefing that the study will include the quality of imported rice varieties, which are seeing increased demand in the Philippines. De Mesa emphasized the importance of identifying the best rice varieties to plant that align with consumer preferences, highlighting the high-yielding and good eating qualities of top inbred rice varieties from Vietnam, such as OM18, OM5451, and Dai Th´m 8 (DT8).

De Mesa noted that while the Philippines has rice varieties with good eating quality, they are not as high-yielding, and vice versa. He pointed out that varieties like the 222 and RC10 are high-yielding but lack the desired eating quality, with the 222 variety occupying 35 percent of the total planting area. The goal is to find a balance between quality and quantity.

In addition to the study, Tiu Laurel instructed the DA to educate farmers on cultivating palay varieties that are both high-yielding and have good eating quality. The agency aims to implement these measures in the next cropping season.

De Mesa reported that farmgate prices have begun to rise as the harvest season approaches, coupled with the impending rice import ban in September. Data shows that 6 out of 13 producing regions have recorded price increases, with more areas reporting this trend. Regions such as Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Southern Mindanao, and Eastern Visayas are among those experiencing rising farmgate prices.

The National Food Authority (NFA) stated that the average traders' price for wet palay is PHP14.3 per kg, and PHP17.07 per kg for clean and dry, as of August 12. Although these prices surpass the PHP13 per kg palay production cost noted by the DA, they remain below the NFA's buying price under the flexible Price Range Scheme (PRICERS).

The highest traders' price for wet palay was recorded in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) at PHP17.67 per kg, followed by Central Mindanao at PHP16.25 per kg, and Northern Mindanao at PHP16.13 per kg. Other regions surpassing the PHP13 per kg production cost include the Ilocos region, Western, Central, and Eastern Visayas, as well as Western and Southern Mindanao.

De Mesa expressed optimism that more regions will soon report rising farmgate prices, as rice import arrivals are expected to be halted for 60 days. The DA anticipates a harvest of at least 11 million metric tons (MT) for the wet season, peaking from October to November.