The National Food Authority in Oriental Negros has assured the public and its accredited retailers of sufficient stock of rice for distribution to complement the local rice supply.

The assurance was made by NFA provincial manager Gil Ibarra who encouraged retailers to continue selling NFA rice at the government-controlled price of P18 per kilo.

Ibarra said his office has received various shipments of imported rice from Vietnam and Pakistan. In March, NFA received 16,000 bags of Vietnam rice and 35,000 bags of Pakistani rice.

In April, 50,000 bags of Vietnam rice arrived and for May, 40,000 bags, bringing to 141,000 the total imported rice shipments received by NFA to date.

The target inflow for this year is 330,000 to augment the supply in the market particularly during the lean months and to stabilize prices. "Based on our target, we have 43 percent accomplishment," said NFA information officer Rolando Lazalita.

Meanwhile, the local NFA office has distributed 151,210 bags of 50kg NFA rice to all accredited NFA grains businessmen in the province from the period January to May 2007.

These include the BGP, OTM, Tindahan Natin, Rolling Stores, the Special Programs of the Department of Education, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and Handog sa Parokya and LFS-LGUs, legislators, institutions and consumers.*RG

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