NFA assures adequate rice supply in Capiz

ROXAS CITY, Capiz, Oct. 9 (PIA6) – Capiceños need not worry about adequate supply of rice.

Information Officer Rose Andalecio of the National Food Authority in Capiz said that as of October 4, the rice stock in the province reached 760,690 which could last in the next 139 days.

She said that of the total rice buffer, the household stocks accounted the highest with 562,800 bags which could last for 103 days while the commercial stock reached 134,270 bags that could feed Capiceños in the next 24.59 days.

Andalecio disclosed that the government stock which is deposited in different warehouses in Capiz totaled 63,620 bags.

She also said that based on their agency’s distribution target of 89,400 bags from January to September this year in the different accredited rice outlets, they were able to distribute 45,901 bags of rice in the 24 Institutionalized Bigasan sa Palengke and 124 Bigasan sa Barangay rice outlets.

On the other hand, Andalecio said that they are intensifying their procurement activities especially with the onset of the harvest season here in order that Capiceños will not worry about supply of rice.

She explained that they are also reaching the individual farmers and other farmer groups through its “Ugnayan” activity in the different towns in the province, particularly the rice producing areas to provide the public with awareness on the recent requirements in the selling of palay with the NFA.

She also stressed that the government support price is P17 per kilogram of clean and dry palay with lesser requirements especially from the individual farmers to lessen the burden in their selling transaction with the NFA.

Andalecio said that so far, the agency was able to buy 23,846 bags of palay from both the individual farmers and farmer groups, which is lower than its procurement target of 114,000 bags for the period of January to September this year. (JCM/Jemin B. Guillermo/PIA6-Capiz)