THE NATIONAL Food Authority (NFA) said on Sunday, October 11, that it is targeting to procure up to 500,000 metric tons (MT) of palay (unhusked rice) this ongoing harvest season.
“For this year, ang target actually natin ay 790,000 MT. Pero for this season lamang, itong anihan na ito, ito yung pinaka-peak na, eh minimum 500,000 MT ng palay ang gusto natin mabili,” said NFA administrator Larry Lacson in an interview with Super Radyo dzBB.
But the NFA noted that it will continue to procure more palay as much as possible in order to meet the target of 790,000 MT before the year ends.
“Hangga’t mayroon kaming bodega na mapaglalagyan bibili pa kami, hanggang sa maabot natin yung 790,000 MT,” said Lacson.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) earlier directed the NFA to raise its minimum buying price for palay beginning the harvest season in September.
At present, the minimum buying price for dry palay ranges between P28 to P30.
“Para makuha natin yung ating ninanais na volume, tinaasan natin ang presyo ang bili ng palay. Ang pinakamababa na natin ay nasa P28 to P30 ang bili natin kada kilo ng malinis at tuyong palay,” said Lacson.
He added: “Pinaghandaan natin ‘yan nang mabuti, nag-renta pa tayo ng ibang bodega para may paglagyan tayo sa volume na papasok.”
Moreover, the NFA said that the country’s rice inventory is enough.
“Sa NFA, ang days to last ng stocks natin na nasa NFA bodegas, nasa 7 days buffer stock. It’s because pinaluwag yung mga bodega nga, nag-release tayo nang marami, nagpa-auction tayo… 5.5 million bags ang katumbas nun,” said Lacson.
“Kung national buffer stock, kasama na yung sa bahay, sa trader, sa miller, nasa 75 days ang buffer stock ng buong Pilipinas. Sa tingin ko, sapat na sapat,” he also said. (GMA News)
