Aklan’s Tindahan Natin Outlets Sell Cheap Rice

By Venus G. Villanueva

NFA personnels inspecting stocks of rice .

Aklan’s 80-strong Tindahan Natin outlets in Aklan are ready to sell the government’s cheap NFA rice during the holiday season, so less fortunate Aklanons will have access to affordable rice during the period, according to the National Food Authority (NFA).
The directive to make cheap government rice affordable and available came from Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She ordered the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) to release P100 million to beef up the govern-ment’s stock of the food staple recently.
The Tindahan Natin is a community-based dedicated outlet for cheap but quality NFA rice and other basic commodities.
In Aklan, the NFA is awaiting the delivery of the government rice procured through GMA’s directive, although presently, the Aklan food agency assures that it has some 9,697 bags at its warehouse.
NFA Information Officer Judith Tindog revealed that presently, NFA’s palay buying price has increased due to the La Niña Incentive Fee offer of the food agency– for individual farmers who bring their palay to the Grains Center – the buying price is P11.75 per kilo; for mobile procurement, P11.65, for cooperatives – P12.00 while cooperatives which sell its palay to the mobile procurement team of the NFA will be paid P11.90 per kilogram of palay.
The NFA, Kalibo also announced that the selling price of the NFA rice per kilo since November 12 is at P18.25.
The adjustment, according to Rex C. Estoperez, NFA director for public affairs, will help discourage price manipulation and other illegal rice trading practices. It is also being done to narrow the gap between NFA rice and the prevailing prices of commercial rice in the market.
“Good quality is among the primary reason why unscrupulous traders are tempted to divert government rice and sell it as higher-priced commercial rice,” Estoperez said.
According to Estoperez, the P0.25 per kilo increase in government rice is practically negligible while the NFA is still able to fulfill the consumers’ demand for easy access to quality rice that is within their budget. /MP