NFA says rice supply enough; no baked products price hike

BAGUIO CITY — With successive storms in succession, the National Food Authority said there was enough stocks of rice for the rest of the rainy season, especially in Baguio and Benguet.

In an interview, NFA Baguio-Benguet Manager Rolando Rufo said they have programmed purchase of rice supply for the whole year, and at present there is a stockpile that could last for nine months based on the average regular consumption of the people in the Baguio-Benguet area.

To date, NFA has a total stockpile of 48,579 sacks of both local and imported rice, including 7,614 sacks of I-rice and Iron-fortified rice in Loakan and Kadiwa warehouses.

Rufo said in the past years, NFA distributed 2,000 to 4,000 sacks of rice a month during the rainy season or what is called the lean months, but last month they only disposed about 500 sacks, which meant there was rice in commercial stalls and in households.

Rufo said NFA has launched an aggressive campaign to promote I-rice in line with the government’s effort to address iron-deficiency among Filipino people, especially in the countryside.

“We have been advocating iron fortified rice before, though back then it is only on areas where there are high prevalence of iron deficiency or for Food for School program, but now we are mandated to promote it to the general public,” Rufo said.

Even during times of emergencies like typhoons where roads leading to the city and Benguet are closed, delaying the delivery of basic supplies to the rural areas, Rufo claimed local warehouses have sufficient rice stocks that could last for several weeks.

In cases of emergency situations, the NFA official said they always made sure there will be substantial stocks of rice in warehouses equitably distributed to retailers and in evacuation centers.

Meanwhile, bakers and bake shops in Baguio and Benguet assured the public that supply of pandesal, as well as other bakery products such as cakes and pastries, will be steady at no increase in prices.

Michael Del Rosario of French Line and Sunshine Supermart, said that there is a stable supply of flour which is the basic ingredient in making bread and pandesal, contrary to earlier reports of a flour shortage that could result in the increase in the prices of bread and other major pastries which are the favorite of Filipino families.

“Our dealers transport our supply regularly so far we do not have any problem,” Del Rosario said, adding that there will be a consistent supply of bread and other flour-based products in Baguio and Benguet that will ensure the stability of supply and prices.

“This rainy season there is a strong competition, that’s why we make our breads and cakes tastier. We see to it that the customers get their money’s worth and the quality of our products is our number one concern,” said Del Rosario.

He said they have variety of products for customers and they come up with new products from time to time, especially during the rainy months when bread is in demand.

With the recent typhoons, the tourism industry is greatly affected. We did not cut our staff as long as we can and that’s the policy of our company, Del Rosario added.

TetIbasan, assistant manager of Master Hopia, said with the high demand this season, they have sufficient supply of flour.

Ibasan said their supplier has not increased prices, citing that despite the decline in tourist arrivals for the first quarter of this year, the demand for bread and pastries among local residents has not changed.