RICE PRICES UP. The public is closely watching with alarm the continued increase in the prices of rice which escalated to as high as P34/kilo last week. Market supply shows the prices ranging from P20.50 to P34 for commercial rice and P18.50 for NFA rice. Foto WILLY MAESTRADO

The harvest level of palay in the province is at risk if Cebu rice traders continue to "invade" the bountiful harvest of Boholano farmers who are now selling their produce at P17 per kilo, instead of P15. This increase in the buying price has forced Boholano farmers to sell their produce to Cebu traders considering that the neighboring province is mainly dependent on rice importation from Central Luzon, Bohol and other rice producing provinces. Only 1 percent of the rice consumption in Cebu is being supplied by its own farmers.

While Bohol consumes 7,300 bags of rice daily, Cebu rice consumption could be at 30,000 bags which is solely dependent on importation, thus, bringing Cebu traders buying palay from Bohol farmland as early as February this year.

In a survey conducted by the Chronicle yesterday, it was confirmed that prices of rice escalated starting this month: Ganador P34 per kilo instead of P27.50; Panda P32 per kilo instead of P28, Camila P28.50 instead of P26.50; ramble, P27.50 instead of P22; pink, P28.50 instead of P24; premium, P26.50 instead of P23; mais #10, P26.50, instead of P20.50.

The rice sold in the local market increased by an average of P3 per kilo starting this month.

In an interview with the Chronicle yesterday, a local major rice trader said that he fears the price of rice will continue to increase if the harvest will not be controlled from getting out of the province. He recalled during the time of former Gov. Rene Relampagos and former Gov. David Tirol, the province imposed a strict regulation in the exportation of rice to Cebu.

"This is the only way to further cushion the increase in rice prices," the trader stressed.

The same policy of regulating the "exportation" of rice to Cebu traders is proposed in order to maintain a good inventory of stocks that will last until the end of this year.

Peng Evasco, assistant manager of the National Food Authority, Tagbilaran branch, told the Chronicle that the food agency will continue its role to provide the public cheap, but good quality rice. She announced that the imported rice from Thailand is sold at P18.25/kilo as compared to the commercial rice which is sold between P20 to P34/kilo.

However, she admitted that of the 7,300 bags of rice per day consumption in the province, NFA fills in only about 3 percent while the remaining 97 percent is dependent on the supply from commercial rice traders.

She mentioned that Bohol which is a rice producing province has 1.5 million bags of rice per harvest season. Normally, there are two or three harvest seasons in the province, depending on the weather condition, she said.

NFA projects to have 520,000 bags of rice supply for the entire year which includes its distribution of free rice under the "food for school" program and the "Tindahan Natin" project of the national government.

NFA DIRECTORS HERE

The NFA regional directors of the country arrived here Thursday to assess the rice situation in the country.

NFA Administrator Jessup Navarro told the Chronicle during an exclusive interview that it is inevitable that commercial rice will increase due to the world market price adjustment and the hike in farm inputs for rice production.

However, he assured the stability on the rice supply up to the end of this year citing that it will import 700,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam by June or July this year to boost NFA's rice stockpile.

He cited that Pres. Arroyo has ordered a moratorium on the land use conversion of agricultural rice land, in view of the worldwide tight rice supply that has been jacking up the local prices of the grain.

Navarro led the regional directors in a day's conference and workshop held at the Bohol Plaza Resort & Restaurant last Thursday.