NFA finalizing guidelines for importation of 250K metric tons of rice

The National Food Authority (NFA) on Wednesday said the guidelines for the importation of the 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice needed to replenish the government's buffer stock have yet to be finalized.

"Sa ngayon po inaayos po yung guidelines ng ating minimum access volumes for 2017," NFA assistant administrator Maria Mercedes Yacapin said during a forum in Quezon City.

"Sa ngayon 250,000 [metric tons of rice] magi-import para madagdagan ang buffer stock ng NFA... Ang procedure [ay] susunod sa Republic Act 9184 o [Government] Procurement [Reform] Act," she added.

The bidding for the 250,000 MT of rice needed to beef up the buffer stock for the lean months is set to be held on the first week of July, according to her.

Yacapin said the NFA has to maintain a rice buffer stock that would last for 15 days at any given time and 30 days during the onset of the lean months from July to September, which is based on the daily consumption requirement of 32,150 MT.

She emphasized that these buffer stock requirements would ensure food security in the country.

"'Pag nagkaroon ng kalamidad, price spike sa merkado, kailangan ang NFA ready to distribute in the market," she added.

In May, the NFA said that the buffer stock for rice for the entire country has reached a critical low, as it only has eight more days worth of rice bags left in its warehouses.

Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. has already ordered the signing of the remaining import permits to reinforce the government's buffer stock.

He also said that President Rodrigo Duterte has agreed with the NFA Council's plan to switch to government-to-private (G2P) mode of rice importation from government-to-government (G2G). — MDM, GMA News