MANILA, Philippines – The Department of Agriculture is releasing rice buffer stocks from the warehouses of the National Food Authority (NFA) to San Juan, Valenzuela, Navotas, and Camarines Sur.
The DA held a turnover ceremony on Wednesday, February 19 — more than two weeks after the agency declared a food security emergency on rice.
The declaration of the food emergency enables the DA to sell NFA stocks to local governments at P33 per kilo. It has two objectives: clear NFA warehouses in time for the rice harvest season, and to supposedly help bring down rice prices in the market.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the distribution of NFA rice stocks is a “race to finish,” saying the allocation would depend on which local government unit (LGU) comes first.
“We need to really unload our stocks as fast as possible,” said Tiu Laurel in a press conference on Wednesday. “Kung anong hingin ng LGU, sinong mauna, then we will release.” (Whichever LGU would come first, then we will release.)
The government plans to dispose of 150,000 metric tons of rice from warehouses. Tiu Laurel said it might be possible that will also release more, as there are around 300,000 metrics tons of rice in warehouses all over the country.
The agriculture chief said the public may purchase NFA rice in the select areas next week.
Other Metro Manila LGUs are bound to follow soon and strike an agreement with the DA. San Juan Mayor Francis Zamora said 150,000 sacks of rice are allocated for Metro Manila, around 5,000 of which may go to San Juan.
A thousand sacks will be up for purchase on the first wave of distribution, Zamora announced.
The DA is selling NFA rice at P33 per kilo. The agency estimates a P2-markup once LGUs sell in their areas. – Rappler.com