Individuals who wish to engage or continue to engage in grains business need not anymore secure a license from the National Food Authority (NFA).
This after President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11203 last February 14, 2019.
With the approval of Republic Act 11203, otherwise known as an Act Liberalizing the Importation, Exportation, and Trading of Rice, Lifting for the Purpose the Quantitative Import Restriction on Rice, and for Other Purposes, the regulatory function of NFA has been removed,” Capiz NFA Information Officer Mary Christie Harion said.
“Effective March 5 this year, NFA does not anymore issue a license to businessmen who are engaged or who wanted to engage in grains,” she said.
Prior to the approval of the new law, NFA implements its regulatory function such as licensing and registration of individuals engaged in grains business, collection of regulatory fees, warehouse/facility inspection, authority to seize hoarded rice stocks and enforcement of rules and regulations in grains business, Harion explained.
Currently, the food agency in Capiz is intensifying the palay procurement in the province for a buffer stock in its warehouse.
Harion said that they are also distributing the imported rice allocation for the province to the various NFA-accredited retailers in the public markets until the rice allocation is exhausted. (JBG/PIA6-Capiz)
