By Kit Bagaipo | The Bohol Chronicle: The National Food Authority (NFA) Bohol has closed down at least 13 rice retailers here in the province for overpricing and rice adulteration.
NFA- Bohol Assistant Manager Ma. Fe Evasco told the Chronicle yesterday the rice outlets were totally closed as their violations are considered as grave offenses.
NFA monitoring teams conducted raids this week and caught the violators. Instead of selling the government subsidized rice (NFA rice) at P18.25 per kilo these were sold at a much higher price, said Evasco.
Some of the 13 authorized rice retailers were likewise caught mixing the NFA rice with commercial rice varieties (adulteration) which are also sold at a higher price.
There were outlets caught diverting or selling government subsidized rice in another place other than the authorized retailers' stall.
"All NFA rice retail outlets should follow NFA rules and regulations," Evasco stressed. "These outlets are accredited by us in order for them to sell NFA rice at P18.25 per kilo."
According to Evasco, normally they just suspend or cancel accreditation of the rice retailers depending on the violation committed.
Recently, an accredited NFA rice retailer in Janopol, Balilihan was caught by police mixing NFA rice with commercial rice.
When asked regarding the present supply of rice in the province, Evasco pointed out that there is no shortage.
"The issue of rice shortage is brought about by the disparity of the price of the NFA rice compared to the commercial rice varieties," she said.
Evasco bared that about 100,000 bags of rice are shipped weekly into the province from the NFA depot in Cebu and are stocked at the Tagbilaran and Ubay wharehouses.
Bohol is currently about 85-percent rice sufficient, said Evasco. By 2009, the province's sufficiency rate is expected to hit 100-percent with the provincial government's Rice Accelerated Emergency Response (RACER) project which received a P15-million funding.
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