As the province braces for the El Niño phenomena, National Food Authority- Negros Occidental manager Glenda Paz assured that there is enough rice buffer stock in place for the province.
Currently there is a buffer of 30,000 bags of rice for the province for calamities and emergencies, Paz said on Friday, May 19.
She said that if in buffer stock will not be enough, the province can get more rice from the NFA depots in Iloilo.
Earlier this month, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) stated that recent conditions and model forecasts indicate that El Niño may emerge in the coming season (June-July-August) at 80 percent probability and may persist until the first quarter of 2024.
Paz said that usually, the months of July to August are the rice farmer’s off-season but assured programs to cater to the needs of the rice producing farmers.
She said if the rice procurement program of NFA is ongoing year-round wherein the agency buys palay from farmers at P19/kilo.
If they are interested to sell, they can go to the NFA warehouses in Bago City and Valladolid town in Negros Occidental, she said.
Paz also said that rice prices in the province are steady with local and imported rice rates ranging from P36 to P38/kilo while well-milled rice is at P38 to 42/kilo.*