Wholesale rice prices rise sharply in April

THE wholesale price of rice rose sharply year on year in April, according to preliminary data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

The PSA said the national average wholesale price of well-milled rice increased 21.2% to P52.05 per kilo. Month on month, the average price of well-milled rice rose 2.9%.

The biggest increase in well-milled rice wholesale prices was logged in Soccsksargen, where it rose 42.2% year on year to P52.91 per kilo.

Wholesale prices of well-milled rice in the National Capital Region rose 18.6% from a year earlier to P56.67 per kilo.

The average wholesale price of regular-milled rice in April increased 23.2% year on year to P47.24 per kilo. Month on month, the average price of regular-milled rice rose 4.1%.

The Central Visayas posted the highest surge in the wholesale price of regular-milled rice, with the regional average rising 43.5% year on year to P48.68 per kilo.

The wholesale price of regular-milled rice in the National Capital Region rose 6.3% year on year to P47.50 per kilo.

Premium and special rice also posted wholesale price increases, with their national averages rising 20.5% and 14.6%, respectively.

Meanwhile, the national average wholesale price of yellow corn grains in April increased 13.7% year on year to P23.95 per kilo. The corresponding price for white corn grains surged 86.6% to P35.14 per kilo.

The wholesale price of yellow corn grits in April rose 7.4% year on year to P31.85 per kilo, while the price of white corn grits rose 65.3% to P51.95 per kilo. — Vonn Andrei E. Villamiel