THE P27 per kilogram government rice will soon be available in some supermarkets and commercial establishments in Negros Occidental, the top official of the National Food Authority (NFA) in the province said Thursday, September 27.
Frisco Canoy, provincial manager of NFA-Negros Occidental, told SunStar Bacolod that the agency's central office, through a memorandum, has just informed them of the agreement it entered with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association (Pagasa).
This is relative to the efforts on making the "cheaper yet quality" government rice closer to the consumers through one, making it available also among supermarkets on top of existing accredited retail outlets within public markets.
Canoy said based on the list of supermarkets and other commercial establishments covered by the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed last September 19, two companies with a total of 22 branches in the province will soon sell NFA rice in their respective establishments.
These firms included Prince Warehouse Club Inc. with seven branches in cities of Bago, Himamaylan, La Carlota, Sagay, Silay and Talisay, and Hinigaran town.
The other company is KJ Fairmart that operates Bayanihan Grocery with two branches in Burgos and Barangay Sum-ag in Bacolod City, and Munsterific with 13 branches in the said city.
"These supermarkets will soon become our additional NFA rice outlets," he said, adding that the measure is already up for implementation most probably in the next two weeks depending on the compliance of identified establishments.
Under the agreement, participating supermarkets will be given NFA rice retailing license. They should sell the commodity within the mandated consumer price.
Stores are mandated to sell not more than two packs of two kilograms each pack per consumer. For them to get a license as retailers, supermarkets have to comply with the requirements like rice bag and price tag, among others.
Canoy said they are meeting Friday, September 28, representatives of identified companies to discuss with them various concerns like how to comply with the necessary requirements so they can soon start supplying NFA rice to supermarkets.
With the existing buffer of about 11,000 bags, Canoy said they can supply an initial five to 10 bags per supermarket. The allocation can be increased as soon as the province's additional import allocation arrives.
Negros Occidental is expected to get another 130,000 bags of imported rice, though no schedule of arrival and assigned vessel yet as of Thursday, September 27.
"The project may expand to other supermarkets provided there is an agreement with the NFA and DTI," he said, adding that "the agency also considers the storage capacity of every supermarket as to how much will be allocated to them."
Canoy pointed out that some of these supermarkets are located in areas where there are no NFA rice retail outlets so consumers will now have more access to cheaper government rice.
New 'tagpuan'
Selling of NFA rice among supermarkets is positioned to complement with the agency's "Tagpuan Rice Responsible Delivery" Program, which also aims to strengthen the presence of the government's cheaper rice thereby benefiting more consumers especially those in the marginalized sector.
NFA-Negros Occidental yesterday opened another "tagpuan" in Barangay Busay, Bago City, the first outlet outside Bacolod City.
Earlier this month, the agency launched five "tagpuan" outlets in Barangays Sum-ag, Granada, Banago, Singcang-Airport and Felisa in Bacolod City.
Like other areas, NFA-Negros Occidental allocated 20 bags of P27 per kilogram of rice.
Each consumer is allowed to buy two kilograms thus, the newly-opened "tagpuan" outlet has benefited at least 500 residents of the said barangay.
The program is in collaboration with the Grains Retailers Confederation (Grecon) in Negros Occidental.
"Tagpuan" means a place where people normally converge like outside portion of the markets and barangay halls, and other public places.
"We are sustaining our 'tagpuan' outlets even once a week. By the time that our additional import allocation arrives, may we increase the allocation in every area," Canoy added.