NFA cautious on rice imports amid rice shortage rumors

MANILA, Philippines — The chairman of the National Food Authority Council is cautious about claims that the agency is facing a rice shortage, saying such scenario may have been hatched to pressure the government to import the staple. 

 

NFA Council chairman and secretary to the Cabinet Leoncio Evasco said there is a need to look into recommendations to import the staple to avoid what he described as "unscrupulous purchases of rice." 

 

"I have to check and call for a meeting of the council to find out what is true or is this just a drama to pressure the council to purchase rice. This is very sensitive, it is about a purchase," Evasco told reporters in a phone patch interview Wednesday when asked about the alleged dwindling supply of NFA rice. 

 

"We have a task to protect government from unscrupulous purchases of rice," he added. 

 

Evasco said he has not received any notice from the National Food Security council that there is an urgency to buy rice. He said there is a standby order to import 250,000 metric tons of rice but there is no need to activate it for now because of the expected arrival of 325,000 metric tons of rice under the minimum access volume (MAV).

 

"They (NFA management) appealed for the reactivation of the 250,000 metric tons. We said we will not act on it because the MAV (minimum access volume) is set to arrive...In fact, the minimum access volume of 325,000 metric tons is now arriving. It will be completed towards end of the month," Evasco said. 

 

"We have to be very very careful in purchasing rice from outside also so as not to threaten production of our farmers," he added. 

 

Evasco noted that rice should be imported during lean months and not during harvest season. He said he is open to a Senate probe on the rice supply situation in the country. 

 

"We welcome that, we back the call of the Senate and Congress for that matter," he said. 

 

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the executive branch would also respect the decision of the Senate to investigate the issues surrounding the NFA rice supply.

 

He maintained that the country is not experiencing a rice shortage.