PRICE FIXING SA BIGAS BUBUSISIIN NG DA, PCC

IIMBESTIGAHAN ng Department of Agriculture (DA) at ng Philippine Competition Commission (PCC) ang posibleng pagmamanipula sa presyo ng bigas.

Nilagdaan nina Agriculture Secretary William Dar at PCC Chairman Arsenio Balisacan ang isang memorandum of agreement sa information at resources sharing sa pagitan ng ahensiya at ng komisyon.

“This situation today where, as a result of the Rice Tariffication Law, there came volumes of rice that have been imported. Already, I believe more than two million metric tons,” wiika ni Dar.

“And at the same time, you see problems in some areas in the country where palay prices are going down. We feel it is necessary for us to cooperate, collaborate with the Philippine Competition Commission under the leadership of Chairperson Arsenio Balisacan, for the very purpose of, you know, appreciating why there is such … what we call management of imported products,” anang kalihim.

Nais malaman ng Agriculture chief kung bakit hindi pa bumababa ang ­presyo ng bigas sa kabila ng importasyon at ng  3.4 million na sako ng bigas na ipinalabas sa merkado na inaprubahan ng National Food Authority (NFA).

“We don’t see it happening in the market—the outcome or the impact of more imports of rice. And that’s the reason this collaboration with the Philippine Competition Commission is very important,” aniya.

“We will look at whether fair trade is happening, or is there some collusion between and among importers, traders, and millers,” dagdag ng Agriculture chief.