NFA denies allegations imported rice storage at HCPTI

THE NATIONAL Food Authority denied allegations that it has allowed the storage of 506,000 bags of imported rice at Harbour Centre Port Terminal Inc. (HCPTI), a private warehouse owned by businessmen Reghis Romero.

NFA Administrator Renan B. Dalisay explained that any amount of stocks not yet delivered at the agency’s designated warehouse is not yet NFA-owned since the contract of rice imports state that the supplier assumes all costs and responsibilities until the stocks reach their final destination.

The 506,000 bags shipped via MV Exelixis by Vinafoods, a supplier of imported rice from Vietnam, is the manifest load which was indicated in the Bill of Lading. The actual load is only determined after completion of the discharging and delivery of stocks at the NFA designated warehouses.

Dalisay said that based on warehouse documents, total volume received by the food agency’s warehouses in Metro Manila and Cavite was 504,717 bags. However, only 503,859 bags were good stocks while 858 bags were considered “bad order” based on the certificate of completed delivery and receipt (CCDR) issued by the NFA warehouses.

The difference of 1,283 bags, representing the unrecovered shortages and spillages during unloading are considered short landed stocks, were for the account of the supplier.

Moreover, Dalisay also clarified that although NFA assigned its discharging ports for the rice stocks procured under the government-to government rice importation, it has no hand in the selection of the supplier’s cargo handler.

Based on the agency’s earlier investigation, Vinafoods contracted the services of Golden Orient Ship Management and Agencies Incorporated (GOSMAI) as its the cargo handler. GOSMAI contracted HCPTI for its port services for the unloading of 506,000 aboard MV Exelixis.

Dalisay added that NCFC was contacted for at least three times to set a dialogue with them to clear these issues but they have not confirmed yet.

“We welcome any investigation since it will clear the issue and guide the NFA in improving its unloading procedures,” NFA chief said.