The National Irrigation Administration (NIA-6) has sold some 1.24 million kilograms of low-cost rice in Western Visayas since its rollout in September 2024.

NIA-6 data showed that as of date, it has sold 604,356.26 kilograms (kg) of the “Rice for All” at P35 per kilo, and 63,899.30 bags (10kg/bag) of the “Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka” (BBM) rice at P29/kg.

“Our P29 per kilo rice is intended for 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program) members, solo parents, PWDs (persons with disability), and senior citizens. We also have P35 per kilo, that’s for everybody,” said NIA VI public relations officer Danielle Pijuan said in an interview.

She said NIA prepared a total of 668,605.04 kgs for the “Rice for All” and 67,566.60 bags of the BBM rice at the start of the program implementation last year.

Currently, they are left with 64,248.78 kg for the Rice for All and 3,667.30 bags for BBM rice, translating to around 100,921.78 kg in total.

The products are available in local government units based on a schedule set by irrigation management offices, but mostly, these are sold at the Kadiwa ng Pangulo in NIA outlets.

For the P29/kg rice, the purchase is limited to one bag per week and buyers are advised to bring their identification cards.

Pijuan said they will continue to sell cheaper rice as long as it is available.

Supply for the Rice for All and BBM rice is sourced from the agency’s contract farming program, where a farmer or irrigators association receives a total of P50,000 in subsidy in cash and farm inputs for every hectare of rice field.

Upon harvest, the farmer will deliver five metric tons to NIA.

Fifty percent of the well-milled rice will go to Kadiwa stores to be sold at PHP29/kg, and the remaining 50 percent at P35 per kilo or whatever is the prevailing price in the market.

Currently, the contract farming program covers 1,290.39 hectares across the region.

“The goal of NIA is to provide the masses with low-cost and affordable rice. What we want to achieve is for our local farmers to provide very affordable rice and eliminate middlemen,” Pijuan said.PNA