BACOLOD CITY — The National Food Authority (NFA) will allocate more supply to outlets with higher demand for the PHP27 per kilo government rice while waiting for the arrival of additional shipment next month.
“That is our consideration. We will focus our distribution on areas where we can help many poor consumers,” said Frisco Canoy, provincial manager of NFA-Negros Occidental, on Monday.
They will reduce distribution to retailers with smaller requirement, he added.
At least 65 percent of the province’s initial allocation of 80,000 bags from Thailand, which arrived in July, has been distributed to accredited rice retailers or outlets as of Monday.
There are 157 accredited NFA rice retailers in Negros Occidental, majority of which are operating in Bacolod.
In last week’s distribution, the agency released 45 bags per outlet in major public markets in Bacolod while 30 bags for “outside markets” such as barangays.
Outlets in major public markets in other towns and cities got 40 bags each while “outside markets” in these localities each received 30 bags.
“We will evaluate regularly which outlets really need NFA rice supply,” Canoy said.
The NFA has attributed the brisk sales of its rice in various outlets to its “good quality” comparable to commercial rice, which sells up to PHP60 per kilogram.
In September, the NFA is expected to receive 130,000 bags of imported rice, which is part of the 250,000 metric tons of rice arriving in the country. (Erwin Nicavera/PNA)
