NFA assures enough rice stock for 2005

The National Food Authority (NFA) assured that the country will have adequate and steady supply of rice for the whole year as importation is expected to augment local rice production.

This year, the NFA targets rice imports at 1.6 million metric tons (MT) to cover for the country’s food security requirements but raised this to 1.8 million MT due to the projected delay in the main harvest and the reduced expected palay production this year due to the El Niño phenomenon.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has adjusted its production target this year from 15.12 million MT to 14.75 million MT due mainly to the devastating effects of the successive typhoons in December and the El Niño that affected major agricultural crops particularly, rice.

On the other hand, rice consumption has been increasing with daily national consumption now at 28,700 MT from last year’s level of 27,500 MT.

The NFA already held several biddings for the rice imports and the supply is coming mostly from Vietnam.

Even with the adjusted target of 14.75 million MT, this year’s production is still two percent higher than last year’s record-high output of 14.49 million MT.

At the same time, the NFA has intensified its rice distribution for the lean production months of July to September as it steps up selling NFA rice through its accredited rice outlets such as Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke (BGP) outlets and rolling stores.

NFA is also set to deploy additional rolling stores to serve the growing need for affordable rice in depressed areas nationwide.

The NFA also regularly deploys Palengke Watch teams to monitor the supply and prices of rice in BGP outlets.