THE average farm-gate price of unmilled rice as of the third week of April inches closer to touching the P21-per-kilogram (kg) mark as it rose by 9.65 percent to P20.79 per kg, from P18.80 per kg recorded a year ago.
During the period, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that the highest average farm-gate price of palay was recorded in Nueva Ecija, Davao del Sur and South Cotabato at P24 per kg. The lowest was recorded in Zamboanga City at P17.83 per kg.
“The average farm-gate price of palay at P20.79 per kg went up at a slower pace by 0.39 percent than its average farm-gate price in the previous week,” the PSA said in its latest weekly report titled, “Updates on Palay, Rice and Corn Prices.”
The PSA also noted that the retail prices of well-milled rice and regular-milled rice during the period were higher than their year-ago levels.
The average retail price of well-milled rice rose by 4.7 percent to P43.78 per kg, while the price of regular-milled rice at P39.99 per kg was higher by 7.85 percent.
“Relative to a week-ago level, the average wholesale price of well-milled rice at P41.07/kg increased at a faster pace of 0.34 percent. Compared to the price in the same week of the previous year, it further climbed by 7.01 percent,” the report read.
“Regular-milled rice retained its previous week’s average wholesale price of P37.46 per kg during the week. On an annual basis, it went up at a slower rate of 8.05 percent,” it added.
The PSA report noted that the highest retail price of well-milled rice during the period was recorded in Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte at P50 per kg. Meanwhile, the highest retail price of regular-milled rice was observed in Sijiquor at P46.50 per kg, according to PSA data.
Rice farmers are expected to conclude harvesting their summer crop this month.
Previously, the farm-gate price of unmilled rice usually goes down during harvest.
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