MARAMAG, Bukidnon — The National Food Authority (NFA) in Bukidnon has prepared 20,000 bags of rice for auction as part of the agency’s nationwide plan to dispose of more than one million bags of aging rice stocks in June.
NFA Bukidnon spokesperson Glen De Otoy said the local office received instructions from the NFA central office to auction rice stocks stored in warehouses for up to three months to help decongest facilities ahead of the peak harvest season.
The auction also aims to generate cash flow and prevent spoilage before the rice stocks become unfit for human consumption, De Otoy said.
The 20,000 bags allocated for auction will come from the NFA warehouse in Maramag town, one of six NFA warehouses operating in Bukidnon.
Government agencies such as the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), and local government units (LGUs) are among the usual buyers of NFA rice stocks, according to De Otoy.
He clarified that the auction is separate from the national government’s subsidized P20-per-kilo rice program, which is backed by the NFA and Food Terminal Inc. (FTI) and will continue until 2028 for vulnerable sectors, including indigent families, senior citizens, solo parents, persons with disabilities, 4Ps beneficiaries, and minimum-wage earners.
NFA Administrator Larry Lacson earlier said the agency would auction more than 50,000 metric tons of aging rice stocks nationwide to free up warehouse space for newly harvested palay and increase agency funds.
As of May 25, NFA Bukidnon recorded around 287,000 bags of palay stocks purchased from farmers at prices ranging from P21 to P30 per kilo, depending on market conditions.
De Otoy said the NFA continues to buy palay from farmers to help stabilize prices and counter market manipulation by private traders. /jpv
© Copyright 2025 The SSResource Media.
All rights reserved.