The National Food Authority (NFA) in Negros Oriental has gathered more than 100 signatures who will act as volunteers in the cereal agency’s campaign to have one million food guardians for 100 million people all over the country.
NFA provincial manager Dr. Carlos Cortes said the campaign was launched starting Monday at the main campus of the Negros Oriental State University (NORSU) in line with the agency’s 43rd anniversary with the end in view of guarding the sale and distribution of imported rice from Vietnam and Thailand following apprehensions unscrupulous businessmen are trying to make money out of NFA rice.
The work of the food guardians is to inform the people that NFA rice is available, accessible and affordable to the public.
The food guardians are encouraged to immediately report conversion of the NFA rice into commercial rice in their respective localities.
Cortes said the NFA imported rice is so identical with the commercial rice as to quality and even the physical appearance that when converted and re-bagged using the yellow-colored sacks intended for premium rice will be hard to identify as NFA rice, especially the P32 per kilo which is a well milled NFA rice.
However, Cortes cautioned unscrupulous retailers they will lose their privilege to sell NFA rice by withdrawing their accreditation under the one-strike policy, if proven to be converting the same rice into commercial rice.
There are about 300 NFA retailers throughout the province that are being monitored every day. They are expected to dispose six bags a day or 30 bags per week.
And if their NFA stocks are depleted in less than one week, concerned retailers will be asked to explain why they should not be charged for unreasonable depletion of NFA rice. Cortes said the possible reason for depletion is the conversion of NFA rice into commercial rice.
At present, 55,000 bags of rice is being unloaded at the port of Dumaguete from Cebu which is in preparation for the lean months. Distribution target for one month is 30,000 bags while NFA Dumaguete and Guihulngan has a buffer stock of 90,000, according to Dr. Cortes. (PNA)
