NFA rice to over 50 LGUs by next week - Laurel
Metro Manila, Philippines - Affordable National Food Authority (NFA) rice is expected to be released to interested local government units (LGUs) next week, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said Monday, Feb. 10.
Laurel said more than 50 LGUs nationwide have signified intention to buy NFA rice under the food security emergency, including Navotas and San Juan in Metro Manila and Iloilo in Western Visayas.
The NFA rice will be sold for P33 per kilogram, and the LGU will have a mark up of P2.
“Lumalabas sa procedures, may documentation na kailangan gawin. Hopefully matapos natin ang documentation between FTI (Food Terminal Inc.) — NFA to FTI, FTI to LGU — by next week maro-roll out,” the agriculture chief said in a briefing.
[Translation: Due to the procedures, there is documentation needed. Hopefully, the documentation between FTI — NFA to FTI, FTI to LGU — so that we can roll out by next week.]
Tariff review?
The food security emergency on rice was an offshoot of the tariff cut failing to significantly reduce retail prices. President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. substantially reduced tariffs from 35% to 15% in July.
“Hangga’t di bumababa ang presyo to a certain level, i-maintain na muna ‘yong taripa na ‘yan since mukhang nagwo-work na, na bumababa, kasi nga nakikita na natin kung bakit hindi siya bumaba no’ng umpisa," Laurel said.
[Translation: Unless prices go down to a certain level, we should maintain the tariff since it’s working; the prices are going down. We already saw why it did not take effect at the beginning.]
“Siguro P42 to P45 per kilo, something like that, then pwede na i-review at i-recommend for restoration,” he said, adding it may not be full restoration to 35% and would depend on consultations with stakeholders.
[Translation: Maybe a price of P42 to P45 per kilogram, something like that, then we can review and recommend for restoration.]
Meanwhile, Laurel said the pork situation has been discussed with Marcos during the Cabinet meeting.
He said the DA will also set a maximum suggested retail price on pork if its investigation showed profiteering in the value chain.
Laurel said farmgate prices were at P240 to P250 per kilogram but there were price levels of P380 to P420 per kilogram in wet markets.
