MANILA, Philippines, February 20 ------ Amid efforts to bring down rice prices, the National Food Authority (NFA) started selling its rice stocks to local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila. Mayors have been authorized to procure NFA rice at P33 per kilo and resell them to their constituents at P35 per kilo, following the signing of an agreement among Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., Metro Manila Council president Francis Zamora and Camarines Sur Rep. Luis Raymund Villafuerte.
At the Valenzuela warehouse, Tiu Laurel said about 80,000 bags of rice are stored. Around 150,000 metric tons of rice have been allocated by the NFA to Metro Manila mayors, he noted. Of the allocation, Zamora said San Juan will buy around 5,000 MT. The city is eyeing an initial distribution of 1,000 MT on Monday.
Selling NFA rice stocks within a month would be ideal as farmers can take advantage of the buying price of dry palay at P23 per kilo, Tiu Laurel said. About 67 LGUs have signified their intent to participate in the program, he noted. For his part, Villafuerte said that at least 25,000 MT of NFA rice will be allocated to Camarines Sur. Food Terminal Inc. president and CEO Joseph Rudolph Lo said they will ensure speedy processing so LGUs can start selling NFA rice.
Tiu Laurel yesterday ordered the relief of an NFA general manager in Occidental Mindoro after it was uncovered that some rice stocks in warehouses were stored for two years. The NFA official will also be administratively charged.
Watchdog group Bantay Bigas has criticized the sale of grains infested with rice weevils at Murphy Market in Quezon City. “The sale of yellowish and bukbok-infested rice at Kadiwa stalls should be criticized. Poor consumers complained about the imported rice with bukbok,” Estavillo said yesterday. Tiu Laurel has ordered a probe into the matter.
Source: philstar.com
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