NFA will no longer import rice for buffer stock, DA confirms

Jervis Manahan, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Scenes at the rice section of the Pasig City Mega Market on July 5, 2022. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/news/04/17/20220705-rice-pasig-market-gc-4.jpg"/><figcaption>Scenes at the rice section of the Pasig City Mega Market on July 5, 2022. <em>George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News/File</em>.</figcaption></figure></div><p>MANILA -- The National Food Authority will no longer import rice for its buffer stock, DA Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla confirmed.</p><p>In an interview to media, she said they advised the NFA to instead source rice from local farmers.</p><p>&quot;Sabi namin, I think you can do that locally. Nag-usap na sila ng rice program how they can secure that 330,000 [tons] from local sources. Wala kaming napag usapan na importation and I think the president knew about that, na hindi pwedeng mag-import ang NFA,&quot; Sombilla said.</p><p>In a news release last week, the Palace said NFA proposed the importation of 330,000 metric tons of rice for its buffer stock, which is used during calamities.</p><p>But this was met with flak, as it goes against the Rice Liberalization Law.</p><p>The law states that NFA can only source rice from local farmers.</p><p>Several agricultural stakeholders slammed NFA&#x27;s proposal as &quot;unlawful.&quot;</p><p>Sombilla assured consumers of enough rice supply by the end of this year.</p><p>Although there will be lean months in the third quarter, rice production is expected to pick up in the fourth quarter, coinciding with the harvest season.</p><p>Sombilla said total supply by the end of the year, including imports from the private sector, will last for 45 days.</p><p>She also downplayed reports of 6-peso per kilo price increases. She said price of rice in world markets have started to decline, after a spike induced by the Ukraine-Russia war.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO: </strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/uUmIYDbomPw?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

The National Food Authority will no longer import rice for its buffer stock, DA Undersecretary Mercedita Sombilla confirmed.

NFA will no longer import rice for buffer stock, DA confirms | ABS-CBN

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NFA will no longer import rice for buffer stock, DA confirms

NFA will no longer import rice for buffer stock, DA confirms

Jervis Manahan,

ABS-CBN News

Published Apr 17, 2023 06:02 PM PHT

|

Updated Apr 17, 2023 06:27 PM PHT

Read More:

NFA

National Food Authority

rice importation

buffer stock

rice supply

DA

Department of Agriculture

rice

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