Zambosur National Food Authority Provincial Manager Harold Ybañez remarked when asked the extent of rice shortage in the country as reported in Metro Manila where residents  scamper  for NFA rice supply.

Zambosur National Food Authority Provincial Manager Harold Ybañez remarked when asked the extent of rice shortage in the country as reported in Metro Manila where residents  scamper  for NFA rice supply.

So far, we don’t queue to buy rice in the market, Ybañez rationalized.  However, in Metro Manila, it is understandable that there are more people looking for NFA rice which is the cheapest they can afford to buy so they queue to buy for NFA rice.  But, we in the provinces where we produce rice and corn, obviously, we don’t depend on NFA rice.

Ybañez assured that Zamboanga del Sur has sufficient rice supply being the 8th rice producer in the country.  Nevertheless, the NFA manager declared having sufficient bags of imported rice but he clarified that NFA rice is not mainly available to supply rice in the market rather it is intended to augment rice supply in case of calamity, Ybañez told the Provincial Press Bureau.

With more than enough supply of commercial rice, NFA Pagadian has stocks balance of 39,000 bags of Vietnam rice at the warehouse, Ybañez bared.  So as not to disrupt the normal selling price of commercial rice in the market, NFA won’t inject imported rice in the market.  However, we distribute NFA rice only to Bigasan ng Bayan outlets where distribution is based on accredited NFA rice retailers who are passbook holders.

Ybañez claimed there are 400 passbook holders throughout the province but he said they would recall these passbooks to make sure that holders still display NFA rice in their localities.  At the NFA level, at least once a week, we repack NFA rice at 1 kilo but limits only 2 kilos per buyer at P18.25 per kilo, Ybañez added.

When asked if the P28.50 price for regular milled rice is fair enough to the consumers, Ybañez retorted, “it is” since, he said, rice traders will normally double the buying price of palay which is already at P12 to P14 a kilo.  “This price is relatively amplified by the high cost of gasoline as charged in freight and handling aside from milling cost,” he reasoned. 

On the one hand, Provincial Agriculturist Marilyn IS Bersales, likewise disclosed that Zamboanga del Sur surpassed its rice production last year with a surplus of 44.69% from its target production.  Usually, Zambosur rice reaches as far as Tawi-Tawi, Cebu City and other parts of the country, she added.  

Meanwhile, while Ybañez is confident that Zamboanga del Sur would never run short of rice supply, Mayor Flavio Saniel, Jr.of Molave bared his apprehension that this won’t be far to happen as rice traders in Manila are now buying rice in his town.

“Now retailers are increasing their price in the market,” Saniel told Governor Auring E. Cerilles during the launching of Project READY at Hotel Alindahaw last Friday.

Saniel suggested to the Governor that LGUs should take over the selling of NFA rice in the market to neutralize the price of rice.

Governor said the Mayors should take the cudgel of monitoring whoever hoards rice in their respective areas of responsibility and whoever gets caught should face the consequence.

Molave is considered the melting pot of Salug Valley which include other towns of  Mahayag, Dumingag and Tambulig with vast tracks of ricelands.

Last update : 17-04-2008 13:57

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