NFA eyes warehouse leases amid storage concerns

The National Food Authority (NFA) is exploring options to lease warehouses from private entities and local government units to address storage capacity issues ahead of the upcoming harvest season.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson stated that milling the current stock of palay will free up approximately 35% of warehouse space due to a 63% recovery rate from the milling process.

In addition to milling, the NFA is actively seeking to lease available spaces from private warehouse operators.

The agency is also in discussions with local government units and cooperatives that have expressed willingness to lend their warehouse facilities.

This initiative aims to prevent the NFA's warehouses from becoming overcrowded with buffer stocks of rice, which could negatively impact local farmers if not managed properly before the new harvest.