NFA to Identify Dedicated Outlets of Agency Rice

Legazpi City (PNA) — The National Food Authority (NFA) Bicol will start its strict implementation of new guidelines for rice retailers to avoid rice syndicates that repack NFA rice for commercial distribution

Yolanda R. Navarro, NFA-Albay provincial manager, stressed that starting July 15, the agency will not allow rolling stores to sell NFA rice — instead, it will focus on distributing supplies to licensed retailers in stationary outlets, especially in public markets.

In the new order, retailers should sell only NFA rice, which means no commercial rice will be displayed in their outlets.

“There should be no side-by-side rice to be sold by identified dedicated outlets of NFA rice,” Navarro said.

Last week, the NFA coordinated with the Philippine National Police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group to monitor all the warehouses and retailers involved in mixing grains.

Meanwhile, NFA-Bicol Regional Director Ruben J. Reside assured the public of their close coordination with the National Bureau of Investigation to monitor the operation of all retailers.

The agency records showed no anomalies in rice trading in the region.

“We have been roving around in big public markets and so far the result was negative. I also visited personally all the markets here in Legazpi City and in Daraga, Albay,” Reside assured. NFA employees have been deployed in each area to make sure that all the retailers abide by the rules of the authority.

The agency also started to install new non-traditional outlets to reach out to other areas which include police office camps, public schools, hospitals and Bigasan sa Parokya.

Last week, almost 360,000 sacks of rice arrived in Albay to meet the consumers’ needs until December. (PNA) LAP/FGS/AMM/CBD