Yt Framework

National Food Authority (NFA) Provincial Manager Gaudencio Nuega yesterday debunked claims that adulterated rice being sold by unscrupulous rice merchants to consumers came from their office.

In an interview at his office, Nuega said NFA rice proliferated and sold in the market are Iron Fortified Rice (IFR), “so how can these rice traders mix it with our IFR? The more it will become noticeable.”

Nuega was reacting to complaints made by consumers over RMN who allegedly bought the rice at P40 but it tasted like the imported rice being sold by NFA years back.

According to Nuega, NFA no longer buy and import rice from other countries but has since purchased rice from farmers in the region like Pagadian, Sibugay and Zamboanga del Norte to help them in their livelihood.

“The NFA is like a buying station now where we buy rice from farmers at P17.70 per kilo. .30 cents goes to their cooperative and .40 cents as incentive,” Nuega said.

However, he vowed to look into the complaints and even assigned investigators to examine and probe the veracity of the consumers’ grievance.
“I have already ordered an investigation on this matter. Investigators will now probe the authenticity of the complaint,” Nuega said.
As this developed, Nuega said the city’s daily rice consumption has increased from 6,000 bags of rice per day to 6,900 bags.

He said Zamboanga City’s rice production is very critical compared to other provinces like Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga del Norte which produce an abundant rice supply.

“Farmers in Zamboanga City only produce 15 percent of the daily rice consumption with a deficit of 80 percent which is being subsidized by other region, and 5 percent being supported by NFA,” Nuega said.

He said one of the reasons of the decline in rice production is the conversion of rice fields into residential areas.

by: Nonong Santiago