NFA rice imports arrive in EV

TACLOBAN CITY — Cheaper rice will be available in the market as early as tomorrow (Monday), as the first two tranches of rice imports have already arrived in Tacloban City.

National Food Authority-Region 8 (Eastern Visayas) Regional Manager John Robert Hermano said the unloading of 79,000 bags of rice from Thailand started Friday afternoon, after the ship arrived at the Tacloban seaport Thursday night.

Another foreign vessel carrying 140,000 bags of Thai rice, which was stuck at Bacolod port for several weeks due to weather disturbances, finally arrived in Tacloban early Friday.

More shipments of Thai rice will arrive in the region within this month to complete the 480,000 bags requirement for July to December 2018.

Tacloban will be prioritized in the distribution next week considering its proximity to the port. Replenishing of stocks will follow in Ormoc City in Western Leyte and Catbalogan City in Samar, said the NFA official.

“Having subsidized rice back in the market will bring the price of staple food in the market lower since the difference is more than P10 per kilogram,” Hermano said.

Of the 480,000 sacks of rice, 124,000 bags is intended for Leyte, 50,000 bags for Southern Leyte, 30,000 bags for Biliran, 80,000 bags for Samar, 106,000 bags for Northern Samar, and 90,000 bags for Eastern Samar.

The new stocks will be available at P32 per kilogram in public markets and P27 per kilogram in economically-depressed areas. “The NFA will deploy teams to the market to prevent rice hoarding, mixing of NFA and commercial rice, and overpricing,” Hermano added.