BY EUGENE Y. ADIONG and EDITH COLMO
BACOLOD City – Warehouses across Negros Occidental face inspection for possible rice hoarding.
The Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) will help the National Food Authority (NFA) in the campaign, said Insp. Roberto Fajardo, new CIDG chief.
“We will apprehend opportunistic businessmen,” Fajardo said.
Rice prices may be increasing because traders were either hoarding their supplies or mixing them with NFA rice, Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. said.
It has also come to the attention of the provincial government that some rice dealers were mixing NFA rice with commercial rice and sell them at a much higher price.
Fajardo already met with NFA provincial manager Procopio Trabajo II to map out plans.
People in the rural areas have complained about the unavailability of NFA rice.
A mother from Hinobaan town said NFA rice is affordable but she spends twice for her face to the NFA outlet just to buy the staple because she has nowhere else to buy.
“I have to spend P15 for a ride to the NFA outlet just to buy two kilos of rice,” said Linda, a mother.
Then she has to spend another P15 for a ride home.
Trabajo said they opened NFA outlets in strategic areas so people can access rice.
Meanwhile, NFA and the National Bureau of Investigation are wrapping up the inspection of areas with reported adulterated rice, or commercial rice mixed with NFA rice./PN
