NFA: Rice supply enough for Bohol

TAGBILARAN CITY, Philippines — “No cause for alarm” on the status of rice supply in Bohol, according to National Food Authority-Bohol manager Peng Evasco.

Evasco belied allegations that the rice supply in the province is now dwindling, as he assured the public that about a hundred thousand of bags of rice are arriving from the regional depot of the NFA.

Bohol has plenty of NFA rice, distributed through accredited market outlets that sell these at a much lower price than that of commercial rice, he said.

The delivery from the regional depot is continuous and another vessel carrying additional bags of rice is scheduled to arrive next week in this city and then in Ubay town the following week. “We are scheduled to receive about a hundred thousand bags that are arriving in [batches from our regional depot]--all imported,” said Evasco.

The supply can last for 30 days, and with its regional depot, the NFA  can respond faster in the event of calamities when there would be shortage of food supply, he said.

NFA rice remains at P27 per kilo, while the commercial rice hit another round of price increase, at a low of P33 per kilo to as high as P37 per kilo.

The agency's price of rice is controlled, she said, adding that, at this time of the year, there is a limited stock of palay and that some traders are buying these from farmers at P18.50 per kilo or even higher, compared to the NFA's procurement rate of P17 per kilo.

“That is to the advantage of the farmers, because it means good return of investment on their production. The NFA is always there, though, to support them when the prices of commercial traders go down,” Evasco explained.

In the first quarter, NFA did not even target any palay procurement, considering that for several years already, nobody would want to sell to NFA, because the commercial traders are buying them at higher price, she added.

NFA is not expected to supply 100 percent for the demand, but it offers an alternative for a lower price and also to serve as buffer in case of decreased supply.  (FREEMAN)