NFA-7 considers reducing NFA rice allocation to traders 

Workers pile NFA rice inside the agency’s warehouse in Governor Cuenco Ave. in Barangay Apas in Cebu City in this June 2018 photo. CDN file photo

CEBU CITY, Philippines — The National Food Authority (NFA)-7 might reduce their allocation of NFA-rice to rice traders starting this year.

“More on buffer stocking nalang mi, hilabi na in time sa calamities. But ang market, it should be handled by private sector kay sila naman ang pwede mo-import,” said NFA-7 Regional Director Fernando Nuñez in a phone interview with Cebu Daily News Digital on Thursday, January 17.

With the Rice Tariffication Act expected to be signed by President Rodrigo Duterte soon, Nuñez said that the NFA would no longer buy imported rice. 

Instead, he said, it would buy locally produced rice for buffer stocking.

He said that the buffer stocks of rice that they would procure this year, would be allocated to the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and Local Government Units (LGUs), especially during calamities.

“Naay duha ka mandate and NFA which are food security and stabilization, but if Rice Tarrification Act will be signed by the president, ang stabilization nga mandate will now be handled by private sectors,” he added.

NFA is also expecting the free flow of importation of rice from other countries, which will also help in reducing the inflation rate in the country.

He said that as of the moment, NFA has already procured around 1.5 million bags of paddy rice.

This year, the agency has allocated P7 billion for procurement of locally produced rice./dbs