Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol on Tuesday denied that rice prices in Zamboanga City have spiked to as much as P70 per kilo.
Piñol said he visited the city recently and found out that rice is not being sold P70 per kilo.
“I was in the market of Zamboanga City on August 13 and I did not see any P70 rice,” Piñol said in an interview with ABS CBN News Channel.
“That could not happen, maaaring sa internal areas” he added.
Piñol though admitted that the price of rice in Tawi-Tawi surged after the Eid al-Fitr holiday due to the low availability of rice.
“Sa Tawi-Tawi aaminin ko, the mayor there told me after Eid al-Ftr umabot ng otsenta (P80) yung presyo ng bigas,” Piñol said.
Piñol said this was because only smuggled rice that remained in the warehouses was available.
Zamboanga City was earlier placed under a state of calamity due to rice shortage.
The decision was made in order for the local city government to control prices of rice and buy buffer stocks.
READ: Zamboanga City under state of calamity due to rice shortage
Piñol also debunked reports that there is a nationwide rice shortage, adding that what had happened in Zamboanga City was a “peculiar case.” /muf
READ: Agriculture chief clarifies: No rice shortage nationwide