BOCAUE, Bulacan — Expect local rice prices to increase in the next few days as local palay stocks dwindle.

Traders at the Intercity Industrial Estate and Golden City Business Park in this town cited that current palay prices now ranged from P28-P29 per kilo compared to the P20 per kilo in March.

Tony Santos, a rice trader said that palay prices might even go beyond the P30 range in the next few days saying, “madalang na ang mabiling palay.”

On the other hand, Roderico Sulit, another rice trader, said “Hindi ko rin inasahan tataas ng ganito (I did not expect that palay prices would go this high).”

As the lean rice month progresses on many rice mills in Intercity Industrial Estate are also accepting rice millers.

It is notable that many rice millers have stopped their milling activities due to the rising palay prices and stiff competitions from imported rice.

As these developed, Raul Montemayor who is the national manager of the Federation of Free Farmers, said the high price of the staple grain is now being made on a “trader to trader [basis] kasi wala na sa kamay ng farmers ang karamihan sa palay. “

He pointed out that at these price range of palay, the retail price of commercial rice might rise to P55 per kilo.

Montemayor noted that harvest season will start at the end of September, “kaya posibleng tumaas pa ito dahil nag-aagawan ang mga trader millers sa limitadong stock habang nagmamahal at tumutumal ang dating ng imports.”

Photo: Mon Lazaro