Responding to reports that its rice stocks have a foul odor, the National Food Authority (NFA) welcomed on Thursday any investigation into the matter.
“We welcome any probe to be conducted by the Department of Agriculture or any government agency to check on the quality of rice stocks in our warehouses,” said NFA Administrator Judy Carol Dansal.
Dansal assured the public that the rice being distributed by the NFA were freshly milled and of good quality, and that good and strict practices were being implemented in terms of warehouse keeping and stock quality management.
Earlier, Agriculture Secretary William Dar said he would look into complaints that the NFA rice given to some legislators for relief distribution emitted a foul odor.
Dasal said that even prior to the imposition of the Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine (ECQ), she had directed milling of palay stocks from last year to go full-blast.
The NFA said it has sold 3.431 million bags of rice as of May 12 exclusively for relief operations of local government units and the Department of Social Welfare and Development.
“They prefer NFA rice because of its good quality, which is comparable to commercial rice in the market,” she said. (Jojo Mangahis)
Source of preview image: NFA