Imported rice now weevil-free; to augment NFA supply

Laborers take a break from loading sacks of rice imported from Vietnam in the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse in Quezon City on Tuesday, September 4, 2018. The National Food Authority and Department of Agriculture came under fire following the spike of rice prices in the market. About 300,000 tons of imported rice are sitting at the ports in Subic and Tabacco, Albay as authorities try to quell a weevil infestation.
INQUIRER PHOTO / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

The weevil-infested rice imported by the National Food Authority (NFA), which has been declared safe for human consumption after going through fumigation, will augment the agency’s supply.

A certification was issued by the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) attached agency Bureau of Plant Industry on Monday assuring that the shipments are now safe to eat after it was treated by an accredited fumigator.

READ: ‘Weevil-free’ rice from Thailand now ready for discharge, says Bicol agri exec

In a statement, NFA said rice samples were randomly taken from the cargo holds for inspection, examination and sensory evaluation prior to the issuance of the clearance.

The rice stocks are part of the 160,000 bags allocated for distribution in Central Luzon. This is expected to augment the inventory of NFA rice in Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Bulacan, Zambales, Bataan and Aurora.

To recall, about 132,400 bags of rice from Thailand and Vietnam that were unloaded in Subic port were found infested with weevils or “bukbok.” NFA spokesperson Rex Estoperez said the heat inside the ship became conducive to the hatching of weevil eggs.

This development comes just after President Rodrigo Duterte announced on Tuesday that NFA administrator Jason Aquino has requested to be relieved.

“He is tired,” the President said during his televised tete-a-tete with his chief legal counsel Salvador Panelo.

According to sources, Aquino has requested to be relieved from his post as early as June, just after his tug-of-war with former NFA Council chief Leoncio Evasco Jr. over importation. Mr. Duterte seemed to have backed Aquino when he told the latter to ignore the Council and push through with importation, after which Evasco was removed from his post.

Aquino has filed for a vacation leave until October 10 on Wednesday – a day after Mr. Duterte announced his intention to quit his post. He has designated deputy manager for marketing operation Judy Carol Dansal as officer-in-charge, while Estoperez was authorized to sign NFA-related importation and exportation documents until his absence.

Mr. Duterte has yet to find a replacement for Aquino.

Without giving any names, the President said he is already eyeing someone to lead NFA just after stating that he is recommending that the agency be abolished.

“I’d be going for somebody… I’m just waiting for this guy. He will be retiring. I want this guy because he’s honest and I believe in him and he does not do anything bullshit…” he said.

“I want a businessman. It doesn’t matter if he’s Chinese. If he’s adept at the job then we can have it but I’m just waiting for this guy because he would be retiring in the coming days,” he added.

A former army scout ranger, Aquino led the grains agency for roughly nine months, during which the NFA has been subjected to major controversies, including the infestation of rice imports, the depletion of its rice stocks and the delay in the distribution of cheap rice in the market – all of which contributed to the continuous spike in the prices of rice which ultimately reached record-highs.

Several lawmakers have called on the resignation of Aquino but the latter maintained that he would continue to lead the agency so long as he has “the confidence and trust” of the President.

Despite Aquino’s decision to end his stead, he continues to face a graft complaint that was filed against him by agricultural group Samahang Industriya ng Pilipinas for allegedly diverting NFA’s funds to pay for the agency’s maturing loans. The billion-peso budget, estimated at P7 billion, was supposed to be used to stabilize the supply and prices of rice and corn in the market. /jpv

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