Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Monday presented its newly-procured rice analyzers and highlighted their benefits in ensuring rice quality to protect Filipino consumers.
According to Philippines News Agency, the agricultural investment includes a rice quality analyzer worth PHP4 million from China, a PHP1 million rice moisture analyzer from Germany, and a local rice sample divider worth approximately PHP400,000.
In a statement, DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the modernization efforts will help protect Filipino consumers and combat deceptive market practices. "It will give the DA stronger teeth against rice adulteration, mislabeling, and other deceptive practices by providing science-based evidence that can stand up in investigations and prosecution of violators," he said.
In a separate press conference, BPI Director Glenn Panganiban said the rice quality analyzer can evaluate the quality of rice samples based on physical parameters. The modern equipment can immediately determine grain size, percentage broken, milling degree or bran retention rate, average length-width ratio, mixing rate, chalkiness rate, wax white rate, heavy chalkiness rate, chalkiness degree, embryo retention rate, yellow rice rate, dark yellow rate, and spot rate.
DA Assistant Secretary for Inspectorate and Enforcement Willie Ann Angsiy said it will help in the regular monitoring of retail rice sales, especially under the PHP50 per kilogram price cap for 5 percent imported rice. "Ang priority natin na i-te-test po is 'yung sa retail. Makakatulong po ito para ma-determine kung sinusunod o vina-violate 'yung price cap (Our priority is to test our retail. It can help to determine whether they are complying or violating the price cap)," she said. Angsiy said erring retailers and suppliers may be held accountable for mislabeling retail rice in local markets.
To date, the government has only one set of rice quality analyzer at the BPI Office in Quezon City, which can serve areas in Metro Manila, as well as Central and South Luzon. Meanwhile, Panganiban said they are targeting to procure a rice analyzer set per region to expand the rice quality monitoring and assessment nationwide. "Ang pinaka-urgent, papalagyan natin sa Baguio. Mayroon tayo sa Cebu, mayroon tayo sa Cagayan de Oro, at mayroon tayo sa Davao, so dalawa sa Mindanao (the most urgent is to have it established in Baguio. There should be one in Cebu, in Cagayan de Oro, and in Davao, so two in Mindanao)," Panganiban said.
He said the BPI will seek PHP1.5 billion in funds for the procurement of more rice analyzers, as well as nitrate and nitrite testing equipment, and detection tools for microbiological contaminants, pesticides, and chemical residues, among others, in the agency's food safety laboratories.
