The National Food Authority (NFA) on Tuesday assured the public the country has enough rice stocks to last throughout the lean season, or from July to September.
NFA Officer in Charge Tomas R. Escarez said the agency, as of June 15, has a rice inventory of 1.02 million metric tons (MMT), which is sufficient for 32 days.
This volume exceeded the mandatory 30-day buffer stock the food agency is required to maintain during the lean season.
“We have more than enough stocks of the good quality, low-priced NFA rice for the lean months. These stocks are now strategically prepositioned across the country, especially in calamity-vulnerable areas,” Escarez said.
The official said he has directed the NFA’s field offices to closely monitor the rice-supply and price situation in all markets nationwide in preparation for the lean months.
He also instructed the field offices to accredit more rice outlets to sell NFA rice to make sure the supply will be more accessible to low-income buyers anywhere in the country. “Closer price monitoring and the opening of more rice outlets will ensure that our people will always have access to NFA rice,” Escarez said.
According to data from the NFA, the country’s rice inventory is currently at 3.54 MMT, which is good to last
for 110 days, based on the national daily requirement of 32,560 MT. Of this volume, 1.02 MMT are stored in NFA warehouses, 1.04 MMT in commercial warehouses and 1.47 MMT in the households.