NFA: No rice shortage in Capiz
ROXAS CITY -- The National Food Authority (NFA) here declared that there is no rice shortage in Capiz province. According to Ms. Edna Artates, public information officer of the agency, the province has rice production surplus of 1,135,259 bags.
However, the prices of rice in the market remain high because of expensive production costs of palay such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and other farm inputs. "Considering the costs, the selling price is always twice the ex-farm price. That has been the rule of thumb," Artates said.
To address the issue on rice prices, the NFA in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA) have taken actions to intensify rice and corn production. While the DA assists the farmers during the production period, the NFA assists in the post-harvest stage. Among specific assistance of NFA is buying palay from farmers at competitive prices and providing post-harvest facilities such as the storage of palay in NFA warehouses at minimal costs. The agency also facilitates training on how to increase corn and rice production to farmers.
NFA Capiz has several rice outlets in the province such as the Bigasan ng Bayan wherein there is one outlet in every municipality, Tindahan Natin with total of 126 outlets, Bigasan sa Parokya with five outlets, Roxas City Bigasan Bayan with weekly allocation of 300 bags, and several accredited retail outlets with weekly allocation of 20 bags each.
The rice outlets were set up by NFA to address the rice consumption requirements of the Capiceños by making available to them quality rice at low prices pegged at only P25 per kilo. "It is not true that NFA rice smells and tastes of pesticides. It is not hazardous to the health contrary to hearsays. What is true is that NFA rice is of superior variety and tastes good," Artates said.