THE National Food Authority (NFA) vowed to step up its campaign against illegal activities in the rice industry, especially during the lean months of July to September.
NFA Administrator Jason Laureano Y. Aquino said he has directed the food agency’s personnel to “intensify” their farm and market-monitoring activities.
Aquino said this is in line with the NFA’s mandate under Presidential Decree (PD) 4, which created the food agency. The NFA is tasked to ensure the food security of the country and stabilize the supply and price of staple grains.
“While it is already a regular activity of NFA field offices to monitor and inspect not only NFA rice retailers, but also commercial rice traders for monitoring commercial stocks, NFA enforcers have been alerted,” he said.
“The NFA management is wary that unscrupulous traders might take advantage of the situation to create artificial rice shortage by hoarding stocks during the lean months,” Aquino added.
Under Section 6 of PD 4, it is the function of the NFA “to inspect palay, rice and other grains stored by any person, partnership, corporation or association, for purposes of taking inventory and record of such commodities.”
The NFA is also authorized by law “to order the seizure, whenever there is hoarding of rice and other grains products, including facilities and equipment used in said hoarding, or whenever there is a scarcity of supply of such commodity in the consumer market and/or an unwarranted increase in the price”.