NFA assures NegOcc rice is pest-free

BACOLOD CITY – The National Food Authority (NFA) office in Negros Occidental assured its consumers the imported NFA rice sold in the province is free of infestation and chemical contamination.

NFA Provincial Manager Frisco Canoy said Sunday the rice allocated for the province had been fumigated and aerated for almost a week before it was unloaded from the MV Unison, to ensure that it has not been infested by rice weevils or bukbok.

Canoy made the assurance after about 330,000 sacks of imported NFA rice unloaded at the Subic Freeport were found to have weevils.

He said the existence of weevils is primarily because of changing weather conditions while the rice is being transported. That is why the supply allocated to the province was inspected, aerated, and fumigated before it was unloaded, he added.

The 80,000 sacks of rice from Thailand that were allocated to Negros Occidental have been distributed to NFA’s 157 retailers in the province.

“It is our protocol to assure that there will be zero infestation to our rice supply before we unload it and NFA rice in Negros Occidental is free from infestation or any contamination that is harmful to consumers,” Canoy said.

He said there are many ways to assure rice stocks are pest-free.

After the rice was unloaded, the NFA’s Technical Research and Services Directorate to assure there is no infestation or contamination while the bags are stored in a warehouse or distributed to retailers.

He also said there is a small chance that stocks could be infested in the retail stores if they are not sold at once.

Canoy reminded retailers to separate NFA rice from commercial stocks that might be contaminated.