Additional supply of iron-fortified rice recently arrived for distribution to various Tindahan Nation and Tindahan ni Gloria sa Palengke outlets in Oriental Negros, Assistant Provincial Administrator Francisco Lorico said.

Lorico said the previous rice shipment was distributed only to schools implementing the feeding program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

This will be made available now to public consumers following the passage of the Iron Fortification Law, the National Food Authority said. The law was intended to reduce the iron deficiency among children especially in public schools.

Meanwhile, the NFA also found out that selling NFA iron fortified rice could help reduce the problem of converting NFA rice to commercial rice by some retailers.

Lorico admitted that this problem exists in the province because the quality of NFA rice can now be compared to high value commercial rice. He said it is easy to detect iron -fortified NFA rice from the regular variety.

The NFA is encouraging the public to report if to it any retailers selling NFA rice at commercial prices. Lorico said that at present the NFA rice is being sold at P16.50 per kilo while the retailers price is P18 per kilo.*MA

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