DA probes reports of ‘foul-smelling’ NFA rice stocks

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA) will investigate reported cases of old or foul-smelling rice stock from the National Food Authority (NFA), as the government tries to ensure food security amid the coronavirus pandemic.

During the online hearing of the House committee on agriculture and food, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said he will look into the allegations voiced by Nueva Ecija Rep. Estrellita Suansing, drawing from her personal experience in distributing rice subsidy for her constituents.

According to Suansing, they opted to buy rice from rice millers after receiving reports from their constituents about the off smell of NFA rice.

“I am sorry to tell you Secretary Dar, it’s from NFA. Kasi po kami ay namigay ng bigas (we distributed rice), I am supposed to buy from NFA—limited to 100 sacks so we opted to buy sa (from) rice millers at P1,850,” Suansing said.

“Mr. Chair, I would like to request Secretary Dar to do investigation. This is what is happening in the field,” she added.

This was backed by Quezon 1st District Rep. Wilfrido Mark Enverga, who chairs the committee, and Deputy Speaker Aurelio Gonzales Jr.

“With the indulgence of the honorable Suansing, Secretary, I had the same predicament also. ‘Yung naranasan po namin but it was part of the first batch, so siguro around March or April, first week (Our experience was part of the first batch of distribution around March or first week of April),” Enverga said.

“‘Yun yung mga may ganung cases na may amoy yung NFA rice. But succeeding stocks were okay naman (There were similar cases with regard to smelly NFA rice but succeeding stocks were okay),” he added.

Dar said that NFA has stopped importing rice and that rice are bought from local farmers.

“Give us the details as an entry point kasi diba ang NFA hindi na po nag-import ng bigas. Lahat po ay binili dito sa local o domestic and dapat kung maganda ang warehousing nila, walang problema sa amoy,” Dar said.

(Give us the details as an entry point because NFA is no longer importing rice. All rice were bought locally so if their warehousing is okay, there should be no problem with the smell.)

Suansing, however, said that the reported smelly rice were “Thai rice” that were previously imported by the government, to which Dar vowed to conduct an investigation.

“Gusto po naming imbestigahan yun (We want to investigate it),” he claimed.

Meanwhile, Dar said they will work with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in controlling the price of rice.

“Mayroon tayong (We have a ) price freeze, actually ongoing, ire-revisit namin yun at (we will revisit that and) we will do what is possible,” Dar said.