A store helper fix their rice display at the Mandaue City public market in this file photo. (CDN FILE/ TONEE DESPOJO)
The National Food Authority (NFA) regional office said there won’t be a rice shortage even if the region’s rice production areas were affected by supertyphoon Yolanda.
NFA lawyer Danilo Bonabon said Central Visayas consumes 35,000 sacks of rice daily of which 18,000 sacks are in Cebu.
“Bohol, Panay, Iloilo, and Mindanao are recovering after the calamities so there is no rice shortage,” he said. The NFA sells its rice ranging from P27 to P32 per kilo.
“If they (accredited markets) would violate then we will suspend their accreditation,” Bonabon said.
Every year, there is a renewal of accreditation for suppliers of NFA rice.
Bonabon also said they were encouraged by the proposal of Sen. J.V. Ejercito to accredit the NFA as the sole rice importing agency in the country to prevent rice smuggling.
“It means he trusts the NFA and if that happens there would be faster detection of smuggled rice in the country. We are coordinating with the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in taking action on rice smuggling,” Bonabon said.