Ops of some NFA's 97 warehouses still halted — DA

SCIENCE CITY OF MUÑOZ, NUEVA ECIJA - The Department of Agriculture (DA) said Wednesday that the operations of some 97 warehouses of the National Food Authority (NFA) are still halted amid the ongoing investigation on the agency’s alleged anomalous rice sale to certain private traders.

Despite this, Agriculture Secretary Tiu Laurel Jr. assured the public that the NFA’s palay procurement from the local farmers wouldn't be affected.

"Sa taas din ng presyo ng palay ngayon na binibili ng traders, hindi rin masyado nakabili yung NFA because naka-set pa yung buying price ng NFA [noong] January o February hanggang P23 yata. Ang presyo ngayon ng buying ng traders [ay] anywhere from P27 to P30,” he said to the reporters during the Food Security Cluster Communication Workshop in PhilRice, Science City Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

(Also with the high price of rice now that the traders are buying, the NFA did not buy too much because the buying price of the NFA was still set [in] January or February up to P23. Today's buying price by traders [is] anywhere from P27 to P30.)

The agri chief added the NFA has enough rice buffer stock to meet local demands.

"As of the moment, nakabili naman yung NFA ng certain amount so there are stocks naman available, and it's harvest season as we all know. [It] will continue until May, so there are enough stocks."

(As of the moment, the NFA has bought a certain amount so there are stocks available, and it's harvest season as we all know. [It] will continue until May, so there are enough stocks.)

He added, "Dun sa report sakin on the importations of rice, regular naman yung quantities na dumadating, sufficient for the requirement of our country."

(In the report to me on the importations of rice, the quantities that arrive are regular and sufficient for the requirements of our country.)

Laurel Jr. said that the NFA recently held a management committee meeting and that they are ‘trying to get things in order.’

“I wanted to get updated on the situation of NFA as of yesterday, ilan ang stocks, ilan ang nabili, ano yung mga problema,” he said.

(I wanted to get updated on the situation of NFA as of yesterday, how many stocks are there, how many have been sold, and what are the problems.)

"Maganda yung outcome ng meeting naman. Since meron kaming NFA council next week sa April 11, I’d like not to comment muna on the details kasi ayoko ma -preempt yung mga council members natin," he added.

(The outcome of the meeting was good. Since we have an NFA council next week on April 11, I'd like not to comment on the details first because I don't want to preempt our council members.)