The National Food Authority in Oriental Negros has assured of steady and sufficient supply of rice for 2006.

Jun Lorico of NFA said that last year, his office has received an importation of 210,000 sacks of rice from Vietnam and this year, it is expecting an importation of 275,000 sacks.

While rice importations keep coming in, the NFA bodega still has 48,582 sacks of rice enough to last until March this year, Lorico said.

The NFA support price is pegged at P18 per kilo, and can be availed of in authorized NFA outlets, as well as in two rolling store vans throughout the province.

Lorico, however, admitted that corn production of the province cannot sustain the whole year round consumption.

This was Lorico's reaction to a suggestion from the Department of Agriculture in Region 7 to shift to corn in order to reduce importation of rice this year.

He said corn production in Oriental Negros is sporadic, and some farmers would prefer to harvest their corn at an early stage and sell them as "anagon" or young corn in the markets.*JG

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