NFA urged to sell rice at lower rates

Sunday, 01 August 2010 12:00 AM Angeli Sabillo

After the agency admitted that it is “swimming in a sea of rice,” the National Food Authority (NFA) has refused to give out rice for free or at cheaper prices – even when President Benigno Aquino III and concerned groups have pointed out that some stocks are about to rot.

Civil groups have prompted the NFA to act, so as to avoid wasting rice.

Katipunan ng mga Samahang Magbubukid sa Timog Katagalugan trooped to the NFA warehouse in Visayas Ave., Quezon City to demand the distribution of excess rice stocks. Axel Pinpin, secretary general of the group said the rice should be given to farmers’ groups instead of local government units.

The Rice Watch and Action Network and other groups have asked NFA to sell each kilo of rice seven pesos lower than the original price of P25, to allow consumers to more easily buy the rice and at the same time help push down overall rice market prices.

NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperes said they would never distribute rotten rice and will throw out bad stocks. All stocks are subjected to tests before being distributed for selling to the public.

In an interview with GMA News, some groups said the rice is already showing some signs of deterioration and are in fact turning into powder. Some are also reported to have pests like ants and weevil.

However, Estoperes said the proposal to sell the rice at lower prices would lead to additional losses instead of gains in the long run. Giving it out for free is also not an option, according to Estoperes, as the NFA is not a social welfare agency. However, he said urban poor groups such as that of Kadamay could talk with Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman to think of ways on how to do it.

The Philippines is considered the world’s biggest rice importer, though it is an agricultural country.

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