Grain retailers assure new stock of rice starting today

A new stock of rice is available in the market, beginning today April 1, this according to grain retailers.

Teresa Alegado, president of the grain retailers association in the province of Cebu and also the national president of the Grain Retailers Confederation of the Philippines, made this announcement during the Kapihan sa Escario yesterday.

Alegado denied reports that "rotten rice" is being sold in the market by retailers, especially rice from the National Food Authority.

She explained that what they were selling until yesterday were stocks they purchased in the last quarter of last year.

The stocks purchased on the first quarter of this year will be available in the market starting today, Alegado said.

Meanwhile, Alegado also thanked the government, through the NFA, for maintaining the price at P18 per kilo despite the implementation of the Reformed Value Added Tax.

RVAT is not imposing additional tax to agricultural products.

Alegado also assured that there is enough supply of rice in the NFA and consumers have nothing to worry about price increases of rice in the market as long as the government maintains the price in the NFA. - Gregg M. Rubio