Excess NFA rice for ‘food-for-work’

THE government is planning to go into a “food-for-work program” as one strategy to ensure that the National Food Authority (NFA) will not drown in “excess imported rice,” a result of overimportation by the Arroyo  administration.

NFA Administrator Angelito Banayo said the national government also plans to allocate rice to local government units (LGUs), which could sell the produce at P25 a kilo.

“We’re looking into food-for-work programs, wherein instead of paying [cash to] participants to livelihood programs, part of their compensation will be food, including rice,” Banayo told reporters in an ambush interview in Quezon City.

The NFA chief met with Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala, Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Soliman and Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo on Monday.

Banayo, however, could not say the volume of “excess rice” that would be allocated to LGUs and the government’s food-for-work programs.

The NFA refused to give the exact volume of “excess rice” stored in its warehouses.

The food agency, however, is mandated to keep a buffer stock equivalent to 30 days of consumption during the lean months of July, August and September. At any given time, the NFA is supposed to hold 15 days worth of rice stocks.

As of the end of July, the NFA has more than 2 million metric tons (MMT) of rice, equivalent to 56 days of stock based on a daily consumption of 36,300 metric tons (MT).

The NFA keeps a buffer stock to ensure that the country would have ample supply of the staple if the Philippines is hit by natural calamities.

Banayo, however, said the NFA is not yet ready to come up with its recommendations on how to dispose of the excess rice stocks. He said the agency might be able to present its recommendations to Malacañang by Thursday or Friday.

As of July 21, the Philippines has total rice stocks reaching 3.431 MMT, or 25.18 percent higher than the country’s stocks in the same period last year, the NFA reported.

“The total current stock inventory is good for 94 days based on the daily requirement of 36,300 MT. This is more than enough to cover the requirements during these lean months of July to September,” the NFA said. –Jennifer A. Ng / Reporter, Businessmirror