NFA assures people of ample rice despite low stocks

May 24, 2017

The National Food Authority  assured people that rice stocks in the country are enough, especially in Marawi City where fighting between the military and the Maute Group is going on. National Food Authority assistant general manager Mercedes Yacapin said Wednesday said household and commercial rice stocks are enough and the minimum access volume to be imported by the private sector will help in increasing the buffer stock. “What the NFA Council were saying is that there is enough stocks in the country both held by the commercial sector also our the household sector”, she said. Yacapin said NFA is required to preserve a 15-day rice buffer stock every month and 90 days’ supply on July to October which are considered lean moths. “According to our latest report, NFA has seven up to eight days’ rice buffer stock supply”, she said. The NFA Council allowed the importation of 500,000 metric tons of rice last year and Philippines will use the approved 250,000 metric tons this year, Yacapin said. She said they are selling the NFA rice for P25 to retailers and the retailers are selling it at P27 to the consumers. Roehlano Briones of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies said they foresee rice prices rising. “Yes, because there is a continuous growth in the population. The demand is continuously mounting”, Briones said. Yacapin said there is enough rice in Marawi city following the Maute attack on Tuesday. “Last night we contacted the director and our personnel in Marawi branch. We have branches throughout the whole country. There are sufficient stocks”, she said. Two trucks containing 900 packs of rice has been delivered to Marawi from Cagayan de Oro, she said. She said they are just waiting for the Department of Social Welfare and Development and local government units to contact them if they need more supply. Alanna Ambi/DMS