NFA expands rice outlets

State-run National Food Authority (NFA) is beefing up the accreditation of retail outlets to ensure that cheap rice can be accessible to more low-income families nationwide.

NFA said it continues to accredit rice retail outlets in public markets, barangays, remote and resettlement areas.

“We are expanding our rice outlets even in the remotest areas to make sure that our intended beneficiaries are able to access our low-priced rice,” NFA administrator Jason Aquino said.

About 13,636 accredited rice retail outlets are currently selling NFA rice at P27 and P32 per kilogram.

NFA has already distributed more than 250,000 bags through its accredited rice outlets and government institutions since the arrival of imports last month.

Around 1.6 million bags out of the five million bags have been delivered to NFA warehouses as part of the first 250,000 metric tons of imported rice via the government-to-government scheme.

“We are still awaiting the arrival of rice shipments bound for the disports in La Union, Bacolod and Tacloban,” Aquino said.

NFA has also reactivated its barangay food terminals (BFTs) to intensify rice distribution policies to reach more consumers.

Currently, there are 76 NFA rice outlets in BFTs nationwide, serving at least 500 families.

The NFA outlets get rice allocation from five to 35 bags per week and sell three to 10 kilograms of rice per customer.

BFTs are situated in barangays that serve as trading centers to link farm producers directly with consumers.

At present, BFTs are operational in Benguet, Kalinga, Masbate, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte, Albay, Cavite, Davao del Sur, Davao Occidental, General Santos, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Caraga, and some parts of Metro Manila.

The reactivation of BFTs was initiated by the Department of Agriculture and the the Department of Trade and Industry.