NFA Samar airs side of rice stock

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE
August 7, 2010

CATBALOGAN CITY  –  The National Food Authority (NFA-Samar) airs its side on the rice stock issues that was one of the issues raised by President Benigno Simeon C Aquino lll in his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Rosario Cadiz, Senior Grains Operation Officer told PIA Samar in an interview that the rice stock in Samar particularly in Catbalogan and Calbayog is enough for the whole year and that there is no overstocking nor oversupply.

“Oversupply may have been true in Metro Manila but the situation is different in Samar, rice deployment is being strictly monitored,“ added Cadiz.

Meanwhile, in Eastern Visayas, NFA Regional Director Benjamin Marta said that the agency has maintained an ideal and comfortable level of rice stock inventory regionwide.

He issued the statement in the wake of reports stemming from the SONA of P-Noy that the agency has an over importation of rice resulting to undetermined quantity of rice with declining quality.

“As far as NFA Eastern Visayas is concerned the present total regional rice stock inventory is 759,599 bags at 50/kg per bag which will last for twenty (20) days based on the average daily consumption requirement of 38,120 bags,” Marta added.

“This means that the region need not worry of oversupply nor under-supply of the basic staple,” Marta said.

He underscored that the agency is mandated to provide food security especially at this time of the year when typhoons and floods are likely to occur.

“That is why we have adequately and rationally positioned our stock in nineteen warehouses regionwide in case of any eventuality.”

Marta also said that NFA is expecting rice shipment from Cebu totalling 1.4 M bags which is part of the region’s allocation until end of this year.

On the other hand, Marta informed that the agency would still go aggressive in its palay procurement operations.

The agency, the report said had bought a total of 9,280 bags versus a procurement target of 35,000 bags for 2010 or a 26% accomplishment.