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TO stabilize rice supply in the country particularly during the
so-called lean months of rice harvest, the National Food Authority (NFA)
will infuse in the market some 28 million bags of rice during the
next six months.
NFA Administrator Jessup Navarro said the move
will “preempt any possible spiraling of [rice] prices especially
during the lean months.”
Navarro said his agency will distribute some 6.5
million bags of rice in July and August, and the volume is expected
to be reduced to five million bags in September when the main
harvest starts. A volume of three million bags per month will be
maintained until December as the harvest peaks on that month.
“The high rice consuming area of Metro Manila
will get most of the rice that the NFA is injecting in the market
averaging 54,633 bags per day for July and August. Metro Manila will
get some 6.6 million bags of rice until the year ends,” Navarro
said.
He added that other regions that will get a high
volume of rice injection include Central Luzon with 2.5 million bags
and Southern Luzon with 2.4 million bags.
Data from the food agency showed that for the
first week of July, prevailing wholesale price of regular-milled
rice has been monitored at P34.76 per kilogram (kg), and P36.67 per
kg for well-milled. The average retail price of regular milled rice
is P35.99 per kg and P38.44 per kg for well-milled.
Government rice remains available at P18.25 per
kg.
Navarro said the food agency is also injecting
high-end rice to influence the price of commercial rice in the
market.
The food agency chief also said the increased
market injection from 3,000 to 14,000 bags daily has effectively
prevented an abrupt increase in the price of rice even after Typhoon
Frank hit the country.
-- Ira Karen Apanay
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