Retailing of NFA rice in barangay Cogon-Ramos had been stopped after the National Food Authority in Cebu imposed the “One Strike Policy.”
With the “One Strike Policy”, there are no second chances for retailers found to have sold overpriced NFA rice.
Immediately, NFA rice allocations for Cogon-Ramos were cancelled while operations of the erring rice retailers were stopped.
Edgar Diez, chief of the Intelligence and Investigation Division of the NFA-7, said that the region has imposed sanctions upon violators of rice retailing policies in the province.
Rice allocations for retailers at the Cogon-Ramos public market through the “Tindahan Natin” were disabled. This after it was confirmed that rice retailers there had sold overpriced government rice to consumers.
Other than overpricing, the “One Strike Policy” also applies to diversion or switching of government rice and other malpractices.
NFA-7 has also imposed a P1,000 fine to rice retailers found to have been selling NFA rice sans rice boxes.
It was learned that the NFA primer has required rice retailers/wholesalers to sell rice in rice boxes.
Further, Diez said that there has been no pulling out in markets of the government rice worth P18.25 per kilogram available in “Tindahan Natin” or the community-based stores with outlets in all parishes in the region.
Meanwhile, the “Bigasan sa Palengke” still offers well-milled rice at P25 per kilo.
Rice priced at P35 a kilo is distributed by selected NFA license-holders in the region. — Cressida Paula G. Delmo/MEEV