By PNA and Bohol Chronicle
In filing House Bill No. 160 or "
The National Food Authority Act of 2010," Bohol Third District Rep. Arthur Yap said the proposed measure is in support of the programs mentioned by President Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III in his inaugural speech -- to provide food sufficiency and to increase farmer's incomes.
"This measure is in support of rice self-sufficiency. If NFA can be re-organized to concentrate on buffer stocking and selling rice at close to market determined prices, then NFA's losses will significantly decrease and prices of rice will stay firm to the benefit of farmers' incomes," he said.
HB 160 also endeavors to clarify the NFA operational mandates by redefining its main mandate as maintaining a buffer stock; allow realistic and market oriented pricing mechanism; redefine market areas wherein it can intervene; redefine and clarify its role in the development of the grains industry; and to enable it to act as a marketing service provider for purposes of farm and market stabilization.
"The bill will rationalize NFA's mandates and make its programs less market distortive. As such, this will reduce losses and allow farmers greater motivation as rice prices will now be truly reflective of correct costs and values," Yap noted.
"The NFA can ensure consumer's accessibility to, affordability and availability of food grains, especially during times of calamities," he assured.
Under Presidential Decree no. 4, the National Grains Authority was created to promote the integrated growth and development of the grains industry (rice and corn and other grains) so that it can adequately function as an institution conscious of its social responsibilities and capable of providing adequate and continuous food supply to the nation and of contributing to its proper share to the national economy.
With the passage of Presidential Decree no. 1770, the limitation to the grains industry was removed, thus the National Grains Authority was reconstituted as the National Food Authority (NFA).
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