The National Food Authority (NFA) has already procured a total of 50,000 metric tons (MT) or 1 million bags of palay (unmilled rice) in the first two weeks of 2019.

In a press conference on Tuesday in Pasay City, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said this development was keeping the NFA optimistic on hitting its local procurement target of 350,000 MT or 7 million bags of palay this year. Once milled, he said this volume could translate to about 227,500 MT or 4.45 million bags of rice supply.