Second batch of NFA rice could be unloaded by Wednesday

AFTER floating idly in the seas off Kawit Island for 13 days now, the vessel containing the second batch of imported rice from Vietnam may dock at the Cebu International Port anytime on Wednesday, July 4.

Olma Marie Bayno, Information Officer of the National Food Authority (NFA-7), said that the second vessel containing 7,000 metric tons or 140,000 bags of rice will immediately dock and start unloading as soon as all the cargo from the first vessel is completely unloaded.

As of Monday morning, 18,025 sacks are yet to be unloaded from the first vessel.

The unloading runs for 24 hours a day and transfers an average of 15,000 sacks from the vessel to the NFA warehouses daily, Bayno said.

Bayno said that the unloading exceeded the expected seven days due to the occasional rains.

“One of the causes of the delay is the rainfall because we automatically cease the unloading during rainy hours to prevent the goods from getting wet and damaged,” Bayno said.

Bayno added that one of the equipment used in unloading the cargo was damaged two days ago causing further delay.

Bayno said the cargo agent plans to have the unloading of the second vessel to also run for 24 hours a day.

And once the second batch of imported rice will be unloaded, Bayno said they will also complete the audit of the items and start with the distribution to retailers and government offices.

She said that they will no longer wait for the third batch to arrive before they start the distribution in order to see an improvement on the price of commercial rice in the market.

The third batch of rice for Central Visayas is now docked at the Iloilo International Port.

Aside from the 8,000 metric tons of rice allocated for the region, Bayno said that the vessel which came from Thailand also carries 4,000 metric tons of rice for Iloilo Province.

Bayno said that there is no communication yet as to when the third vessel will arrive in Cebu.