Bukidnon ‘hoards’ own rice for buffer during COVID-19 crisis

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY –– Bukidnon Governor Jose Maria Zubiri Jr. has stopped the sale of rice outside of the province beginning Friday, March 27, so they remain self-sufficient throughout the crisis spawned by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

In an order issued Friday, Zubiri prohibited “all rice producers, traders, and suppliers … to sell, deliver, and/or release rice grains outside the Province of Bukidnon.”

Zubiri said the provincial government was stocking up on rice, targeting to have 100,000 bags to be distributed for free “for the duration of the health emergency to prevent its people from suffering hunger.”

He added that the provincial government already purchased 40,000 bags of rice, still short by 60,000 bags.

The governor said they intended to purchase rice at P1,850 per bag.

Before his order, Zubiri noted that several rice suppliers and traders were selling their products and merchandise outside Bukidnon, depleting the supply within the province.

Earlier, Zubiri ordered the province sealed off from nonresidents and visitors as a heightened precaution against the spread of the virus.

He admitted that such measure “limits the necessary resources particularly rice grains/ rice available to the people of the province…”

It is not yet known if Zubiri will lift the trading ban if the provincial government meets its buffer requirement.

LZB