Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — The National Food Authority (NFA) is set to auction more aging palay (unmilled rice) and rice stocks to free up warehouse spaces for fresh harvests, boost cash flow and prevent spoilage.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said the NFA Council has approved the auction of 232,141 metric tons (MT) of palay and 62,890 MT of rice, which will be sold in batches.

“We will prioritize the oldest stocks first and gradually move to newer ones. That will be the system because we are managing our stocks,” Lacson told reporters in a phone interview on Wednesday.

The Rice Tariffication Law authorizes the NFA to dispose of aging rice stocks three months after milling and, in the case of palay, six months after storage. Lacson said the upcoming bid round in May will only cover between 5,000 MT and 20,000 MT of milled rice, which have been stored at NFA warehouses for at least 12 months.

The NFA is now finalizing the pricing mechanism, with data from the Philippine Statistics Authority to serve as the basis, although the expected floor price could range between P22 and P28 per kilogram. —JORDEENE LAGARE

Published Date: April 16, 2026