The National Food Authority on Thursday assured the public that supply of NFA rice will return to normal within the month February after a shortage in their supply was made known earlier this week.

According to NFA Bohol spokesman Jerry Lim, a 32,000-ton additional rice supply is expected to be shipped to Bohol in the second week of the month or even earlier.

Lim explained that delivery of rice in the Visayas is being prioritized in calamity-hit areas in Region VI which was badly hit by two storms in December.

NFA rice from Cebu is not only distributed in Bohol but also other provinces in Region VII and Region VI, Lim said.

He also pointed out that the ongoing port congestion in Cebu has also hampered the distribution of NFA rice in the said regions.

Earlier this week, NFA-Bohol Manager Maria Fe Evasco said that Bohol has to reserve its stock for emergencies and calamities with the unavailability of the usual chartered vessel for rice shipment.

“[We] temporarily suspended the selling of NFA rice to accredited outlets”, said Evasco.

Supplies from the NFA’s Cebu depot were shipped through Lite Shipping which could only carry 500 bags of NFA rice a day, she added. (AD)