ILOILO CITY — The National Food Authority’s (NFA) “Tulong ng Bayan” program is available in its 58 accredited outlets in Western Visayas in response to the “upward trend in prices of rice.”
“We are providing a choice for the less fortunate,” said NFA Assistant Regional Director Ruben Manatad.
“Tulong ng Bayan” rice was meant to “arrest the appreciating prices of rice,” he said. The project is being implemented nationwide.
In Western Visayas, they have pre-identified two accredited outlets on Aklan; four in Antique; 19 each in Capiz and Negros Occidental and 14 in Iloilo.
NFA also tapped the participation of 12 wholesalers and millers composed of one each in Aklan, Antique and Negros Occidental; four in Capiz and five in Iloilo.
Retail outlets have commitments to sell rice between PHP37 to PHP40 a kilo.
In Aklan and Antique the selling price is PHP39; and PHP38 in Iloilo and Capiz.
Prices vary from PHP37 to PHP39 per kilo in Negros Occidental.
Manatad said what is being sold are commercial rice. “We took the cudgel to gather them and seek their commitment wherein they would like to supply cheaper rice than the ones prevailing in the market,” he said, adding that they deliver good quality rice.
The pre-identified outlets were selected by the Grains Retailers Confederation. Manatad said that “outlets identified were voluntary on their part.”
Prevailing prices of commercial rice in the market ranges from PHP39 up to PHP41 or even higher.
While there are low-priced rice, Manatad said that they “would like to ensure that we have sufficient supply, affordable rice accessible to our low-income consumers.”
He added that if there is no intervention such as this, then the prices could even increase.
Meantime, the project will continue until such time that the committed stocks of imported rice arrive in the region.
Of the 250,000 metric tons of imported rice from Vietnam and Thailand expected to arrive last week of May up to first week of June, Negros Occidental was allotted 4,000 metric tons. (PNA)
