Long queues for NFA rice reported in Nueva Ecija

MANILA, Philippines - Long rice queues formed in Nueva Ecija province early Saturday after the National Food Authority (NFA) in Central Luzon ordered its warehouses in the region to remain open on Saturdays. Radio dzRH reported that in Nueva Ecija, marketgoers quickly but patiently lined up at the Cabanatuan City public market for the commodity, a Filipino staple. But rice dealers said they were forced to sell rice at a maximum of three kilos instead of the government-approved five kilos, saying they might run out of supplies too quickly. The same report said the NFA, which sells rice at lower than market prices, instructed its warehouses to remain open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during Saturdays, just to accommodate the buyers. The Philippine government continues to sell NFA rice at a subsidized price of P18.25 a kilo. The NFA said the “real," unsubsidized price of rice is P28 to P32. - GMANews.TV