BALANGA CITY, Bataan — Rice from the National Food Authority (NFA) is back in the markets in this province as the agency on Monday started the distribution to their accredited rice retailers here.
Workers of private haulers delivered the much-sought lower-priced rice to accredited NFA rice retailers at the Balanga City public market.
Marilou dela Rosa, owner of one of the retail outlets, said the allocation per store was only 10 bags each per week.
There are more than 100 accredited NFA rice retailers in 11 towns and one city of Bataan.
Dela Rosa said that the rice has just been delivered and some costumers were able to buy it at once.
“Only three kilos were being sold to each customer per buying in order to accommodate all,” dela Rosa said.
NFA rice is retailed at PHP27 per kilo compared to commercial varieties, which are priced PHP42 at the lowest.
Retailers said they expect more people lining up to buy NFA rice starting on Tuesday.
NFA provincial manager Adelaida Nuestro said only more than 5,000 bags of rice from Vietnam arrived in Bataan last week and stored at the Balanga City warehouse.
“This number is part of the 12,000-bag allocation for Bataan,” she said.
NFA rice has been missing in Bataan markets since mid-January this year. (Ernie Esconde/PNA)
