The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Saturday dismissed circulating claims that farmers in Nueva Ecija took their own lives due to low palay prices, calling the reports false and misleading.
DA Spokesperson Arnel de Mesa said in a in an ABS-CBN News report that the allegations—initially cited in a news report quoting a party-list representative—were already investigated and proven untrue by the department and the National Bureau of Investigation.
“Pinaimbestigahan na po ‘yan ng ating kalihim at napatunayan na hindi totoo,” De Mesa clarified.
A report by The Manila Times earlier claimed that at least three farmers had died by suicide amid dropping palay prices, quoting Magsasaka Party-list chairman Argel Joseph Cabatbat. De Mesa stressed such reports are harmful and spread disinformation.
He said palay prices remain stable, with dry and clean palay averaging P24 per kilogram and fresh or wet palay around P18 per kilogram. Official data from the Philippine Statistics Authority also show that dry palay in Central Luzon was priced at an average of P19.46/kg in February.
While some farmers’ groups continue to raise concerns about low farmgate prices and the impact of rice importation, De Mesa pointed out that rice importation has been reduced. The country imported about 1.2 million metric tons of rice last quarter, averaging 400,000 MT monthly.
He added that the DA expects a good harvest this year, projecting a return to 2.1 million metric tons of palay.
To help ease rice prices, the DA continues to crack down on rice smuggling, monitor market prices, and implement suggested retail prices on select rice varieties.
