MANILA — Malacanang denied reports that the National Food Authority in Nueva Ecija has yet to begin buying rice from farmers as their warehouses are still full of stock.

“Kinausap po natin si (NFA Administrator) Usec. Larry (Lacson) at ang sabi po niya ay wala naman daw pong bodega na punung-puno na,” Palace Press Officer Undersecretary Claire Castro said in a Malacanang briefing.

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Castro explained that farmers may have to line up to sell their rice to the NFA due to the peak season.

“At lahat po ng magbibenta na farmers, kailangan lamang po talagang pumila dahil peak season po ngayon at may mga magsasaka po na nauna na nagpalista at uunahin po lahat iyan,” she explained.

 “So, lahat po na magbibenta na farmer, kung sila po ay may pagkakataon na hintayin ang kanilang turn, bibilin po ito ng NFA. Hindi po natin tatanggihan ang lahat ng ibibenta ng farmers.”

 The Department of Agriculture earlier declared a food security emergency on rice to allow NFA to release its rice buffer stocks on warehouses to stabilize rice prices amid an extraordinary rise in local rice prices.

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