Manila, Aug. 14 -- The Department of Agriculture (DA) is optimistic that farmgate prices of palay (unhusked rice) will rebound in the coming wet harvest season, while also working to address changing consumer preferences for rice quality.

DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said on Thursday that they started seeing recoveries in some areas in Luzon.

He said prices in Nueva Ecija have already improved to PHP14 per kilogram for wet palay, up from lows during the dry season.

"Latest namin, nag-recover na ang Nueva Ecija at PHP14 na wet (The Nueva Ecija started to recover at PHP14 per kg. of wet palay). I was there the other day," he told the Philippine News Agency in a Viber message.

"Dapat tumaas pa kaunti ang palay (The palay prices ...