SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – The National Food Authority (NFA) warned against groups that launched a campaign to project the image of a rice shortage.
The NFA released a statement Monday, January 6, saying the Philippines has enough rice and there’s no reason to raise prices.
NFA spokesman Rex Estoperez said the NFA received reports of a planned disinformation campaign. The plan included the distribution of thousands of sacks of rotten rice. The sacks would be marked with the NFA label “so as to put the agency in a bad light.”
Estoperez added, “the saboteurs could now dispose of their old rice stocks while also discrediting the agency’s leadership.”
The plan was reportedly meant to divert public attention away from a recently exposed rice smuggling operation.
Estoperez added that NFA rice is “newly-milled from 2012 to 2013.” The NFA has also buffered its stock with 22,500 metric tons of rice imported from Vietnam, part of some 500,000 metric tons procured from Vietnam through a government-to-government agreement. (READ: PH to import rice for buffer stock after Yolanda)
The remaining 380,000 metric tons is expected to reach the Philippines within the first quarter.
Related to this, the agriculture department wants to create a prosecution office within its department to go after profiteering efforts. Agriculture spokesman Emerson Palad said a draft bill is being set up for it, and that it has been discussed with the Palace legislative liaison office. – Rappler.com
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