BACOLOD CITY – Prices of commercial rice in Negros Occidental were expected to fall to their lowest levels in months with the arrival of 100,000 bags of Thai rice.Marianito Bejemino, National Food Authority (NFA) provincial manager, said the NFA started unloading on Thursday 100,000 bags of Thai rice at the BREDCO port in Bacolod City.

Bejemino said another 100,000 bags of rice are arriving before the end of the month.

As a result of the additional rice supply, prices were expected to drop to a range of P26-P28 per kg, he said.

“In fact we are already experiencing a downtrend in the price of commercial rice,” he added.

The NFA is selling Thai rice in the market at P25 a kg.

Regular-milled rice costs P32 to P34 a kg; well milled, P36 to P38 and premium rice more than P40 per kg in Negros Occidental, Bejemino said.

The NFA will also bring in another 200,000 bags of rice in September, he said.

Gov. Isidro Zayco on Thursday discussed with other officials the mechanics for the release of access cards that would allow the poor to buy NFA rice at P18.25 per kg.

The access cards will be distributed in October through the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office.

Outlets will be designated to cater to 250 families each.

Bejemino said there are currently 446 outlets in Negros Occidental and this city.

In some areas, he said, one outlet could service two barangays but more outlets might be opened if needed.

Zayco quoted the provincial agriculturist as saying the province produces 90 percent of its rice requirement.

By Carla Gomez