Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 14) — The National Food Authority (NFA) is proposing to import 330,000 metric tons of rice to make up for the foreseen deficit in the country’s buffer stock, the Presidential Communications Office said.
According to agriculture officials, the imported rice will ensure sufficient volume for calamity and relief requirements from July to December this year. It can also supply nine days of national consumption starting July 2023.
NFA proposed during a meeting with President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. and the Department of Agriculture that the rice importation be made through the Office of the President or its designated agency.
According to NFA, the buffer stock is expected to drop to less than 500,000 sacks by July 2023, which is equivalent to less than a day of public consumption.
However, farmers group Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG) opposed the importation of rice, saying “stocks, without importation, are good until August.”
“Bakit hindi palay ang bilhin sa farmers ng NFA and ipagiling nila,” SINAG executive director Jayson Cainglet said Friday in a statement.
[Translation: Why does NFA not buy rice from farmers and mill them instead.]
“Local millers have long offered to mill the palay of NFA at discounted prices,” Cainglet added.
Marcos earlier said the country has enough supply of rice but has insufficient buffer stock.
