The Department of Agriculture (DA) has ordered the National Food Authority to buy palay in the country to increase its buffer stock amid Luzon-wide enhanced community quarantine due to coronavirus disease pandemic.

"To ensure continued access to affordable rice, the DA has directed the NFA to buy palay at 21 pesos to beef up the NFA’s 30-day buffer stock," said Inter-Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles in a virtual press briefing on Friday.

Quoting further the DA, he said the country should have sufficient rice supply good for 84 days by the end of June.

He said the government wants to ensure that the supplies of produce and food essentials remain stable during the ECQ.

The official said the Agriculture department also extended the validity of 91,274 food passes being given to truckers and suppliers of food.

During the initial stage of the ECQ, truckers have been complaining about the thorough inspections on the checkpoints being conducted by the police and military, impeding the flow of goods.

This prompted the government to issue food passes. Celerina Monte/DMS