NFA denies anomaly in rice bidding

The National Food Authority (NFA) stressed that rice imports from Vietnam will arrive on schedule, even as it denied alleged anomalies on the recent rice bidding for the Philippines’ rice requirement.

The state grains agency issued the assurance in the wake of reports and opinion columns “creating malicious insinuations” that the 800,000 metric tons imported rice from Vietnam, which will serve as buffer stock in the lean months, may be delayed because of alleged unscrupulous activities between the cargo handler and officials of the NFA and Department of Agriculture.