Gatchalian urges NFA to scrap retailers’ P115,000 permit fee

MANILA, Philippines — The National Food Authority should scrap the P115,000 fee it is charging retailers to allow them to sell NFA rice, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian said yesterday.

Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committee on economic affairs, slammed what he described as “uncoordinated and impractical” move of the NFA to charge retailers the exorbitant fee.

“This is an ill-conceived move of the NFA. I thought they want more outlets to sell cheap rice? How will that happen when you’re the one who asked for help, and also demanding exorbitant permit fee?” Gatchalian said in a statement.

The Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association (Pagasa) Inc. has disclosed that the NFA is charging P115,000 from retailers with a paid-up capital of P10 million in order for them to be permitted to sell rice sourced from the agency.

It was the government that sought the help of Pagasa Inc. to flood the market with affordable rice, the senator said.

“If you’re the owner of a supermarket, will you pay for that permit fee if in the first place you’re not required to sell NFA rice?” he said.