In an effort to further gauge the acceptance of Malusog Rice among market retailers and consumers, the Malusog Rice Program is gearing up for another round of market testing. This initiative is set to take place in seven pilot provinces in the last quarter of 2023.
Dr. Ronan G. Zagado, the lead of the Malusog Rice Program, highlighted the promising results from the initial market testing, which was conducted in three provinces within Central Luzon early this year. According to Dr. Zagado, “the findings indicated that Malusog Rice is indeed marketable, with its pricing comparable with the prevailing price of regular milled rice in the region.”
As part of the upcoming market testing activities, two municipalities in each of the seven pilot provinces will be provided with Malusog Rice to offer for sale to consumers. These provinces are Quirino, Catanduanes, Samar, Antique, Agusan del Sur, Lanao del Norte, and Maguindanao. These are selected based on their nutrition data specifically stunting rates, as well as its rice production data.
“This is an important step that will help assess the product’s viability in a broader market, providing useful insights for the program’s future plans.” Dr. Zagado added.
Christopher John Gonzales, DA-PhilRice CES
