130T bags of imported rice arrive in Iloilo port
A total of 130,000 bags of imported rice arrived in Iloilo port Monday for distribution to different provinces of Panay island.
National Food Authority officer-in-charge Vilma Zarraga said the 130,000 bags are part of more than 500,000 imported rice allocation for the whole of Iloilo, Aklan, Antique, Capiz and Guimaras.
Western Visayas region is set to receive a total of 1.2 million bags of imported rice this year.
"Rice importation is part of NFA's program to support non-harvest months in our country," Zarraga said.
Meanwhile, the NFA is expecting another 120,000 bags of imported rice first week of May this year.
The said allocation is for Negros Occidental province, which has been registering low rice production compared to other parts of the region.
Zarraga said Negros has no warehouse for rice, so its stocks will be kept in NFA's warehouse based in Iloilo city.
"Since farmers in the region have started harvesting, and with the coming in of imported rice, we are assured of continued supply. This, even as we still expect additional imports to arrive before the lean months," she said. (PNA)