LINGAYEN — The National Food Authority (NFA) branch in western Pangasinan has fielded more rolling stores in a bid to end queues by people at NFA outlets located in different public markets.

Marissa Jacinto, NFA branch information officer, said the rolling stores were sought by local officials to help their constituents, especially marginal families, buy cheaper rice.

The rolling stores are now selling NFA rice in Barangay Bolo and St. Isidore Parish in Labrador,Burgos, Bantayan and Pangapisan Norte in Lingayen, and other towns at two to three kilos per family.

Earlier, rice queues were seen in Dagupan, Alaminos and San Carlos cities, Calasiao, Mangaldan and other towns by people wanting to buy cheaper rice at P18.25 per kilo.

But the queues, Jacinto clarified, were not indications of shortage of rice.

NFA Branch Manager Edilberto Libatique earlier said the higher price of commercial rice from P32 to P34 per kilo the past weeks drove people to buy rice from NFA outlets.

Being sold by NFA rolling stores and outlets are white, well-milled rice that came from Vietnam.

“There is no rice crisis, only price crisis,” Libatique said.

Jacinto, however, foresees the easing up of the rice situation as the price of commercial rice has gone down by P2 this week.

She said that as per their monitoring, the lowest price of commercial rice is now P30 per kilo, from P32 per kilo the past week.

“This is a good sign that eventually, the price of rice will go down for the benefit of the low-wage earners,” Jacinto added.

She hinted that the decrease in the price of commercial rice was due to the arrival of more fresh rice stocks imported from Vietnam unloaded from the port of San Fernando.

She also said that there is now rice harvest by farmers from the third cropping season. (PNA)