By Arjay L. Balinbin

THE importation of 250,000 metric tons (MT) of rice has been approved, Cabinet Secretary and National Food Authority (NFA) Council Chairman Leoncio B. Evasco, Jr. announced on Monday, Feb. 12.

“The standby authority to import 250,000 MT is approved and considering the timing of the harvest season, the importation should arrive after the said harvest season, Mr. Evasco told reporters in a press briefing at Malacañang after the council’s meeting.

Adding: “The mode of importation for the 250,000 MT Standby Authority will be Government-to-Private Importation or Open Tender Procurement based on the same Terms of Reference as in the previous Government to Private Procurement of 2017.”

The NFA Council chair likewise said “the NFA will continue the implementation of the Minimum Access Volume (MAV) Rice Importation Program of which 221,457 MT of rice have already been delivered and 507,017.60 MT is expected to arrive by the end of February and August 2018.”

Mr. Evasco assured the public that “there is no rice shortage and this importation is only as to NFA’s buffer stock.”

“In this manner, the NFA Council has issued a directive on the reassessment of the inventory of the NFA, including its procurement and distribution strategies,” he added.

As for the increase in rice price in the market, Mr. Evasco said hoarders are to blame and that the NFA should proactively look into the condition of warehouses.

“The NFA Council is on top of this situation. We will ensure the continued supply of affordable rice and continue to champion for the best interest of the Filipino People,” he also said.

The NFA Council is the governing board of the NFA, which is tasked to assess the practicality and timeliness of allowing the rice to come in to the country.

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