NFA to boost rice stocks

LEGAZPI CITY – The Bicol regional office of the National Food Authority (NFA) is set to start milling some 579,000 bags of palay to boost the region’s buffer stocks after the level of rice supply in its inventory has dropped, an NFA official said on Friday, Mar. 20.

Henry Treteza, NFA Bicol regional director, said the level of the agency’s rice stock has ran low after heavy withdrawals made by various local government units (LGU) as a result of the national government’s declaration of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) against the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

“Currently there are 147,000 bags of rice in NFA warehouses serving as buffer stock good for only 12 days. The NFA has so far already released 31,550 bags to various LGU,” said.

Treteza said 42,000 bags of rice are the daily average consumption in the region.

He, however, said the milling would take time because most of the milling firms are closed due to the community quarantine.

“Once the milling is completed, about 512,000 bags would add to the buffer stock,” he said.

As for the request from other NFA regions, he said they are waiting for the additional 160,000 bags of rice from Regions 3 (Central Luzon) and 4 (Calabarzon). (PNA)