The Philippines’ sugarcane industry has received a P314-million grant from the Japanese government as part of the farm mechanization program.

Rice retailers will comply with Executive Order No. 39 for one week and will decide on their move on the price ceiling mandating P41 and P45 per kilo of rice, rice retailers’ group Grains Retailers Confederation of the Philippines said on Friday.

Rice stakeholders are questioning the five-year rice supply deal proposed by Vietnam and its impact on the Philippines’ goal of reaching near-self-sufficiency and plan to diversify sources.

Pegging the price of rice at P20 per kilo is “daydreaming” given the law of supply and demand in the world market, former president Rodrigo Duterte said yesterday.

The mandated price ceiling on rice was not rushed and went through rigorous studies before implementation, Department of Agriculture-Bureau of Plant Industry director Gerald Glenn Panganiban said yesterday after some retailers complained of losses.