The rapid depletion of the National Food Agency’s rice buffer stocks, now reportedly at less than two days of national consumption, has caused alarm, the Federation of Free Farmers said Thursday.
With harvests underway, the FFF emphasized the urgency for the NFA to resume normal operations and replenish its reserves through “palay” procurement. The group alleged potential violations of regulations and raised concerns about preferential treatment for certain buyers.Montemayor said some rice stocks might have been milled recently but then sold as “aged” to meet disposal criteria.
Citing data discrepancies between rice purchased and sold within short timeframes, Montemayor raised doubts about the legitimacy of these transactions.