NFA resumes sale of rice in major markets

The National Food Authority (NFA) releases 100 bags of rice to two Bigasan sa Palengke outlets in T. Padilla. The stocks came from their regional office warehouse in Gov. Cuenco Ave., Barangay Apas.
(CDN PHOTO/JUNJIE MENDOZA)

AT least 100 bags of NFA rice were released to two “Bigasan sa Palengke” (BSP) outlets, NFA-7’s major market, yesterday morning, as the agency resumed the selling of NFA rice.

There are 11 major markets, or BSP outlets identified by NFA in Cebu. Each outlet has a maximum of five members, and each member can get a maximum of 10 bags of rice.

Only two BSPs in T. Padilla, Cebu City, purchased the hundred bags of rice yesterday morning.

NFA is going to release NFA rice to other major markets, such as Taboan, Freedom Park and other parts of Cebu City, Consolacion, the cities of Lapu-Lapu and Mandaue, Tabunok, Carcar, Danao, and Toledo Cities.

NFA stopped rice distribution last February 1O after admitting that there was a shortage of stocks.

“As mentioned by our Assistant Regional Director, kay tungod lage sa clamor sa mga kunsumidor nga wa nay mo-stabilize, o mubo nga presyo nga commercial rice nga ilang mapalit, mao ang NFA nibalik ta pagpanghatag nila,” Olma Bayno, NFA-7 information officer said.

“Mao man ta ang mandate sa NFA, first ang buffer stocking, second ang mo-stabilize sa price, but then atoa gihapong gipaminaw ang sugyot sa atong mga konsumidor, and at the same time, atong gi-implement ang gitawag nato nga 3-6-9 nga policy, which ang rice needed to be disposed within 6 months, and the age of the rice inside our storage is already 5 months,”she added.

(Because of the clamor of our consumers that there is no rice price stabilizer we resumed distributing NFA rice.)

Of the 15,000 sacks of rice inside the NFA-7 storage area, 11,000 will be distributed to the major markets, while 4,000 sacks are allocated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD-7) for use during calamities.

Bayno added NFA rice bought by retailers cost P30 per kilo and is sold to the consumers at P32 per kilo.

The NFA-7 has a total stock of 37, 398 sacks of rice. Some are kept at the unit offices in Badian, Tudela, Sta. Fe and Bogo City, where other retailers can go to.

The NFA will also monitor if the NFA rice is really being sold and bought by the consumers.

Bayno said NFA expects a 250,000 metric ton shipment or five million bags of imported rice to be distributed nationwide.