NFA rice buffer stock: 300T bags
National Food Authority (NFA) Iloilo has a current buffer stock of 300,000 bags of rice good for 16 days, according to NFA Iloilo director Hedy Jardeleza.
Jardeleza, who is also in charge of Guimaras province, said that the 16-day buffer stock is based on the consumption needs of the people in Iloilo and Guimaras.
She said that Iloilo is considered a rice surplus province, so there is no need to fear for rice shortage.
“In fact, we are already about to finish the harvest for the second cropping in the northern towns of Iloilo province,” Jardeleza said.
She said that the NFA is also buying clean and dried rice for P17.00 per kilogram. This was the same buying price last year.
Fears of possible rice shortage occurred after the country’s weather bureau reported that El Niño phenomenon will hit rice farms this June of this year.
With the dry spell brought by El Niño, farmers expect low rice production since most of the rice farms are dependent on irrigation water which is primarily sourced on rains.
(PNA)
