NFA unsure about DTI’s plan to sell NFA rice in mall supermarkets

The National Food Authority (NFA) is not on board with the Department of Trade and Industry's plan to require supermarkets in malls to sell the cheap state-subsidized NFA rice, saying that patrons of NFA rice do tend to patronize these establishments.

According to a report of Maki Pulido on “24 Oras,” NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperez maintained that markets should be prioritized in terms providing supply of NFA rice because they are more accessible to the public.

“Supermarket? Puntahin ba 'yan nu'ng pumipila sa palengke? Ang priority pa rin [dapat], mas maganda siguro, sa palengke,” Estoperez said.

DTI Secretary Mon Lopez, however, countered that the DTI's agreement with the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association covers accessible, not posh supermarkets.

“In terms of stocks sa bodega, kasi 'di ba objective natin lahat stocks sa bodega mailabas para maraming access points, may enough na imbentaryo tayo para ikalat ito sa ka-partner natin na supermarkets,” Lopez said.

“Tig-apat na kilo lang kada customer ang pwedeng bilhin na NFA rice sa supermarkets, at hindi ito high-end,” Lopez added.

A rice retailer, on the other hand, also lamented that the supply of imported NFA rice remains scarce.

“'Yung mga imported rice, hindi gaya dati na marami. Ngayon, kakaunti na naman, eh. Kaunti nanaman nilalabas nila. Tinatago nila [na mga traders] para mapataas na naman presyo ng bigas natin,” rice retailer Betty Miguel said.

This position was shared by Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol.

"Ilang daan libong imported rice na ang pumasok. Bakit 'di bumababa presyo sa merkado? Kasi kino-control nila, eh. Pero kung gobyerno ang mag-i-import niyan, especially at this time, at NFA ang nag-import niyan at ibebenta ng [P32 per kilo], tignan ko lang pag hindi magpulasan 'yan,” Piñol said.

The Duterte administration has intensified its importation of rice to address the unabated price increases for commercial rice, which has prompted the public to fall in line for hours to secure a cheap NFA rice priced at P27 to P32 per kilo, as opposed to commercial rice which is priced at P42 to P70 per kilo.

The country is still reeling from a nine-year high inflation rate of 6.4 percent in August which was driven by increased prices of rice, vegetables, electricity and operation of private vehicles. — Llanesca T. Panti/BM, GMA News