DA urged to boost rice stocks 

THE SAMAHANG Industriya ng Agrikultura on Tuesday urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) to start buying palay or unmilled rice from local farmers to ensure ample stocks amid the El Niño threat.  

“Instead of resorting to imports that will only benefit importers and favored traders, the DA, through the [National Food Authority] should start buying palay from our rice farmers,” group Executive Director Jayson H. Cainglet said in a Viber message.  

He said the NFA’s P7-billion budget could buy about 5.6 million bags of palay with a farmgate price of P25 a kilo.  

The Rice Tariffication Law stripped the NFA of its power to import rice and has been reduced to maintaining an emergency inventory from local farmers.   

Earlier, some industry groups urged DA to visit warehouses as they accused rice traders of price manipulation to justify the increase in retail prices.  

“Visiting warehouses sends the wrong signal that there is an ongoing hoarding or shortage of rice,” Mr. Cainglet said. “No less than the President has assured us of enough stocks until the end of El Niño,” Mr. Cainglet said. — Sheldeen Joy Talavera