NFA Negros Occidental surpasses rice distribution target by 113%
The National Food Authority (NFA) here has surpassed last year's rice distribution target by 113 percent posting an actual distribution of 726,786 bags through its 466 accredited rice outlets in the province.
These rice outlets include 326 Tindahan Natin outlets, 92 Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke (GBP), 28 accredited individual retailers outside market and 20 Bigasan sa Parokya.
Provincial Manager Marianito Bejemino attributed the growth to NFA's competitive rice sold at only P18.25 per kg. compared to the average prevailing price of commercial rice last year of P26.29 per kg. for well-milled rice and P22.33 kg. for Regular-milled rice.
Under the NFA-DepEd "For for School Program" 3,396 bags of iron-fortified rice were released last year to 6,658 schoolchildren from the different elementary schools in San Enrique and Don Salvador Benedicto.
For the Tindahan Natin outlets, 189,734 bags were sold bringing the NFA rice within the easy reach of the low-income families in depressed areas province-wide.
Bejemino said the food agency also gave rice assistance last year to calamity and war stricken areas under the NFA Disaster Preparedness Program. A total of 510 bags were issued to the LGUs of Calatrava, Valladolid, San Enrique and the cities of Bago and Bacolod.
In the same year, farmers' organization participating under the Institutionalized Farmers as Distributors Program (IFAD) such as San Enrique MPCI, Gil Montilla MPCI, Ma-ao Parish MPCI and Tuyom MPCI had withdrawn 2,900 bags of imported rice each which they sold to interested buyers. (NFA-GAR/PIA-LOL)