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THE Department of Agriculture (DA) said the rice buffer stock of the National Food Authority (NFA) was good for just two days.
DA Assistant Secretary and concurrent chief of staff Rex Estoperez said during a briefing on Monday that as of July 27, the buffer stock was 53,014.26 metric tons, enough for 1.56 days, based on the daily rice consumption rate (DCR) of 679,670 bags, or 33,983.5 MT.
Estoperez said the possibility of importing rice will be discussed with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., who is also the Agriculture secretary.
The President “will update the interagency tomorrow [on] what the volume [to be imported] is and where to get that,” he said.
The NFA is required to maintain a buffer stock for nine days. It used to be 15 to 30 days, but the level was revised by the Rice Tariffication Law.
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Federation of Free Farmers National President Raul Montemayor said the government’s current rice stock is much lower than what it is supposed to maintain.
“Basic reason is they have been releasing the buffer stock for many purposes other than calamity assistance,” Montemayor said.
The NFA is authorized to draw from the buffer stock as part of relief aid during emergencies and calamities.
But the agency also allocates rice to the government’s Kadiwa stores, military personnel, prisoners, “and I understand even some legislators and LGUs (local government units) despite the fact that there have been no real calamities,” said Montemayor.
He said the Rice Tariffication Law prohibits the NFA from importing rice.
When the President said “that we might have to import, maybe he meant that the government will import maybe not through NFA but through another agency,” he said.
Montemayor said a smaller buffer stock could affect the capacity of the government to respond to emergencies like the series of typhoons that have been buffeting the country.
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