The National Food Authority (NFA) said it is ready for the potential declaration of a food security emergency regarding rice.
NFA Administrator Larry Lacson added that several local government units (LGUs) have shown interest in purchasing NFA rice for distribution once the emergency is officially declared.
“We are prepared. Neighboring regions are already sending rice to Metro Manila, in addition to our current stock. We’re gearing up for this,” Lacson said in a radio interview.
“We’re ready to release the stocks, but I think we’ll hold off a bit before making them available to the LGUs for public sale,” he added.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) previously indicated that NFA rice could be distributed as early as February 4, though the timeline for distribution will depend on local government decisions.
DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. earlier confirmed that his office has received a resolution from the National Price Coordinating Council recommending the emergency declaration.
If the declaration is approved, it would enable the NFA to release buffer stocks and begin purchasing rice from farmers during the upcoming harvest season.
Lacson shared that the initial release will be 300,000 sacks, with the potential to increase to 450,000 to 500,000 sacks, depending on demand from LGUs and Kadiwa stores.
NFA rice will be sold to LGUs at P36 per kilo and to consumers at P38 per kilo, with strict price regulations to prevent retailers from exceeding these amounts.
The National Price Coordinating Council (NPCC) earlier approved the proposal of the DA to declare a food emergency.
The DA intends to declare a food security emergency on February 4 to address the soaring prices of rice.
Once declared, the government will release rice stocks to be sold to local government units in Metro Manila.
“Releasing 300,000 metric tons of rice to the market within six months will soften market prices. We hope this will be the start of a more stable pricing for rice,” Tiu-Laurel explained.
The declaration would make NFA rice available to consumers at P38 per kilogram in wet markets, it was disclosed.
The DA has pushed for this measure to help stem the rising retail prices of rice, which is a staple in the Filipino diet.