Rice smuggling, hoarding remain big problems in PH – Bongbong Marcos

MANILA, Philippines — The government will struggle to determine the country’s actual rice stock due to continued smuggling, said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Tuesday.

Marcos, who is also the country’s agriculture secretary, said the government had been trying to improve the agricultural sector, from the production process down to retail. However, the government remains baffled as to how and why rice prices remain high.

In a speech in Manila, the President said it would be difficult to determine the real rice supply situation in the if smuggling would remain unabated.

Marcos was in the city to lead the distribution of smuggled rice to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries.

READ: DOF urges tariff-free rice imports to ease prices

“Hindi namin maunawaan kung bakit tumaas ang presyo ng bigas. Bakit tataas ang presyo ng bigas may suplay naman sa Pilipinas? Wala namang nag-panic buying. Walang dahilan kung bakit tataas ang presyo ng bigas kung hindi ang hoarding,” said the President.

(We cannot understand why rice prices are rising. Why would the price of rice increase when there is enough supply in the Philippines? No one is panic-buying. There is no reason for rice prices to increase  other than hoarding.)

The President then doubled down on his orders for government agencies to intensify the implementation of rice policies and laws in the country.

READ: Rice price cap may be lifted after harvest, Marcos hints

Earlier, the President ordered the imposition of rice price caps of P43 to P45 per kilo. The government is also mulling over the suspension of tariffs on rice importation.