00:00The National Food Authority's buffer stock has begun to be given to the local governments in the midst of a food security emergency.
00:08According to the Department of Agriculture, NFA rice cannot be sold at a higher price than P35 per kilo.
00:15This was reported by Bernadette Reyes.
00:21It seems that the supply of rice in this NFA warehouse in Valenzuela is plummeting.
00:26It is 25% broken or better known as well-milled rice.
00:30It is a buffer stock of the NFA and was allowed to be sold to the public under the food security emergency.
00:37Earlier, the release of NFA rice to some local government units began
00:42which was the first to express interest in buying rice.
00:46It is sold by Food Terminal Incorporated or FTI to LGUs and government agencies for P33 per kilo.
00:55The purchased LGU or agency will sell it for P35 per kilo to the buyers.
01:01But there are some LGUs like San Juan City and Camarines Sur that will not raise the price of rice anymore.
01:08They said that the cost of rice travel has been paid off so they can sell it for P33 per kilo.
01:15In San Juan, in City Hall, we will sell rice.
01:19If initially we can pick up 1,000 sacks for example,
01:24that means by Monday, we will start selling 1,000 sacks of rice.
01:31As of now, 67 LGUs have said that they will buy rice.
01:36This NFA rice is more of an appeal from us also that LGUs should buy it
01:42because every sack that comes out will help in buying NFA rice for our farmers,
01:48especially now that it is harvest season.
01:51So I hope we can buy more rice for our farmers.
01:55This NFA warehouse here in Valenzuela has 80,000 bags of rice.
02:00In other parts of the country, their warehouses have more rice.
02:05That is why the Department of Agriculture is far from releasing this rice
02:10so that new rice can be added.
02:13We need to really unload our stocks as fast as possible.
02:17So whatever LGUs ask for first, then we will stop at 150,000 tons.
02:23But then, the most likelihood that this will happen,
02:29if the number of warehouses is reduced,
02:31we will be buying rice now.
02:34So we will probably continue until we run out of almost 300,000 tons.
02:39According to the DA,
02:41NFA rice cannot be sold at a higher price than P35 per kilo.
02:46That is dangerous because they might sell it at a higher price.
02:50So that is part of the LGUs' monitoring.
02:56Maybe it depends on the LGUs on how they will control that.
03:00But ideally, maybe one sack per person.
03:03If you buy that and sell it for P40 or P38,
03:08I think that is wrong.
03:10For GMA Integrated News, Bernadette Reyes, Nakatuto, 24 Hours.
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