NFA warns grains traders from selling soaked rice

The National Food Authority (NFA) on Thursday warned grains businessmen, particularly from areas affected by flood, against selling wet or soaked rice and passing these as NFA rice.
NFA administrator Jessup Navarro issued the warning following reports that some unscrupulous grains businessmen are selling wet or flood-soaked rice either to recoup their losses or to take advantage of the temporary shortage in the supply of the basic staple in areas heavily affected by typhoon ‘Ondoy.’
Navarro said wet or flood-affected rice may already be infested and therefore pose health hazards to consumers.
He stressed that grains traders who will be caught selling wet rice or engaging in any illegal rice trading activities will face cancellation not only of their rice allocation from NFA but also their license to engage in rice trading.
“They will not be allowed to sell even commercial rice, aside from the administrative and criminal case that will be filed against them,” said Navarro.
In the wake of typhoon Ondoy, the government has imposed a price freeze on certain agricultural products that include rice, fish, meat, poultry, sugar and cooking oil.
For commercial rice, the price ceiling is P35 per kilogram (kg) for well-milled (WMR) and P30 for regular milled (RMR).
NFA rice at P25 per kg, is still available at the “Bigasan ni Gloria sa Palengke” outlets and accredited retailers.
Navarro also assured that the NFA has enough rice inventory totaling 25.2 million bags sufficient to meet the country’s food security requirement for 36 days.
The NFA is also continuously issuing rice to government agencies doing relief operations in typhoon affected areas including the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), the Philippine National Red Cross (PNRC), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), and non-government organizations (NGOs) assisting victims of typhoon Ondoy.
Navarro said that the NFA has already issued a total of 34,618 bags of rice for relief operations since Ondoy hit the country last Saturday.