NFA assures enough rice supply to sustain P20-per-kilo rice program

Local

AS MORE provinces begin implementing the P20-per-kilo rice program, authorities confirmed that rice buffer stocks remain sufficient.

In Central Visayas, National Food Authority (NFA) regional information officer Olma B. Nedia said the agency’s role has expanded under Republic Act No. 12708 or the Agricultural Tariffication Act of 2024.

The law mandates the NFA to maintain enough inventory for emergencies and to source palay only from Filipino farmers.

She explained that NFA buys dry palay at P27 per kilo and wet palay at P21 per kilo, matching private traders’ rates.

This pricing allowed the agency to surpass its 15,000-bag procurement target by acquiring 16,000 bags, mostly from Bohol and Negros Oriental.

As of June, NFA 7 has a total of 80,000 bags of rice in its inventory, with around 66,000 sacks stored in Cebu.

“Dili ra jud ta mabalaka kay igo ra jud ang atong inventory kay gitanaw man pud na unya gischedule na sa head office nga dapat padad-an pud ang Region 7, Nedia said.

The region recently received 35,000 sacks from Mindoro. Bohol and Siquijor are preparing to launch their BBM rice distribution programs, while Negros Oriental is finalizing its memorandum of agreement with Food Terminal Incorporated.

Nedia also said NFA implements a strict quality assurance process through its Grains Classifiers who inspect every bag of rice based on moisture, grain purity, and the Equitable Net Weight Factor.

“Bag to bag i-check jud ang mga sako nga i-issue ani nga program para ang madawat sa atong benepisyaryo kato jud dekalidad nga bugas,” said Nedia.

The Department of Agriculture officially launched the BBM rice program in Cebu on May 1, 2025, during a Labor Day event held at the Cebu Provincial Capitol grounds.(MyTVCebu)