MANILA – The Department of Agriculture (DA) in the Philippines is set to introduce two new rice varieties, ‘sulit rice’ and ‘nutri rice’, as a special New Year’s gift to the public. These varieties will be available at reduced prices, with ‘sulit rice’ priced at PHP36 per kilogram and ‘nutri rice’ at PHP38 per kilogram.
During a recent news forum in Quezon City, Agriculture Assistant Secretary Genevieve Guevarra announced the initiative, describing it as a way to start the new year with new offerings. ‘Sulit rice’ is characterized as white but highly broken, while ‘nutri rice’ has a brownish hue.
These new rice types are slated to hit the market in 2025, complementing the existing PHP40 per kilogram price for a mix of local and imported well-milled rice sold at Kadiwa stores. Guevarra noted that while further price reductions at Kadiwa stores are under consideration, the government must carefully manage such decisions to avoid negatively impacting local farmers.
She explained that drastic price drops could lead to a ‘ripple effect’ that might discourage farmers from continuing to plant rice due to low profitability. The DA’s Kadiwa ng Pangulo program aims to offer rice at prices lower than those found in the general market.
In addition to the new rice varieties, the DA plans to expand the presence of Kadiwa kiosks across the country, including locations in major public markets and transit stations such as the Metro Rail Transit (MRT) and Light Rail Transit (LRT). Currently, Kadiwa kiosks are operational in several key markets and transit points, with plans to open more in various locations this month.