LINGAYEN— Believe us…there is no shortage in the province.

This assurance is oft- repeated by the National Food Authority’s (NFA) local office in the face of fears of rice shortage across the country.

Edilberto Libatique, manager of the NFA office here, said there are 88,000 bags at 50 kilograms each at their four warehouses.

Another 25,000 to 60,000 bags Vietnam rice allocated to the Pangasinan NFA will be unloaded at the Poro Point in La Union over the weekend.

“There’s nothing to worry about. There’s no shortage only higher price of commercial rice,” Libatique told The PUNCH.

NFA rice sells at P18.25 a kilogram while commercial rice ranges from P28 to P35 per kilogram.

The NFA here is now repacking to produce P1 kilogram bags now being distributed directly to the Bigasang Bayan outlets.

Each outlet is given 30 bags at 50 kilograms each good for three to four days supply and each buyer is allowed a maximum of three kilograms.

Libatique said there are now 10 Palengke Watch groups regularly monitoring the retailers.

NO HOARDER

Meanwhile, the brother of Vice Governor Marlyn Primicias-Agabas strongly denied a television report tagging him as a suspected rice hoarder, saying his business is legal and he is a licensed grains retailer.

In a raid conducted the other day in a warehouse owned by Roger Primicias in Vista Real Subdivision in Quezon City, police found several empty sacks of NFA rice which Primicias claims are legitimately sold in his rice store outlet.

Primicias called Aksyon Radyo Pangasinan Thursday to air his side about the report as he said he regrets that the name of his sister was dragged into the news.

ALAMINOS

In Alaminos City, Mayor Hernani Braganza said the city faces no problem “because the city is net exporter of palay.“

He attributed the city’s high rice production to the partnership with the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PHILRICE) since 2004 where the latter provides local farmers with farming technology and system, seeds and the use of organic fertilizer.

The Alaminos farmers have been encouraged to plant traditional seeds because these command better prices in the market.

Of the 8,000 hectares of farmlands in the city, only 2,000 hectares are currently irrigated and the rest are still rain-fed.

The mayor added that there is currently about a 20% percent loss in harvesting and drying so the installation of a post-harvest facility is being worked on. — CSR

Share your Comments or Reactions

comments

Powered by Facebook Comments