NFA on food security emergency: ‘We’re ready’

The National Food Authority (NFA) said Sunday it was prepared for the impending declaration of a food security emergency on rice.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson confirmed that some local government units (LGUs) have expressed interest in purchasing NFA rice for distribution once the emergency is declared.

“We are ready. As we speak, ‘yung ating mga karatig na mga rehiyon… ay nagde-deliver ng mga bigas papunta ng NCR, aside ‘yung imbak natin diyan na marami na rin. Pinaghahandaan natin ito,” he said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We are ready. Neighboring regions are already delivering rice to NCR, in addition to our existing stock. We are preparing for this.)

“We are ready in the NFA to release the stocks, but we have to wait a little bit, tingin ko, bago maging available ito sa LGU na ibebenta na talaga sa publiko," he added.

(We are ready in the NFA to release the stocks. But I think we wait a little before these are made available to the LGUs to sell to the public.)

The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier stated that NFA rice could be released as early as February 4, but its distribution timeline remains up to local governments.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. confirmed that his office received a National Price Coordinating Council resolution recommending the emergency declaration.

If approved, this would allow the NFA to release buffer stocks and begin purchasing rice from farmers in the upcoming harvest season.

Lacson said the initial release will be 300,000 sacks, with the possibility of increasing to 450,000–500,000, depending on LGU and Kadiwa store demand.

NFA rice will be sold to LGUs at P36 per kilo and to consumers at P38 per kilo, with strict regulations preventing retailers from exceeding this price.

“Sa totoo lang, malaki sanang tulong ‘yun, ‘yung napakaganda na mabilis ang distribution. Pero sa ngayon, medyo hindi pa ‘yan pupuwede. Wala pa ‘yung channel natin directly sa mga retailers,” Lacson said.

(Retailers would help speed up distribution, but we don’t yet have a direct channel to them.) — DVM, GMA Integrated News