A top food authority official in Mindoro has been dismissed following the discovery of thousands of bags of unmilled rice left in storage for two years, amid a national food security crisis.

Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. announced on Wednesday that the general manager of the National Food Authority (NFA) in Occidental Mindoro has been relieved of his duties.

The decision came after an investigation revealed 20,000 bags of unmilled rice had been left aging in a warehouse in San Jose since 2023.

“This is an isolated case,” Laurel told reporters at a press conference in Manila, noting that the affected stock represents only a small fraction of the NFA’s total inventory of nearly 7 million bags.

The situation has created a bottleneck effect in the province, with farmers struggling to find storage space for their newly harvested crop.

Current NFA San Jose Branch Manager Elimar Regindin, who has been in the post for less than three months, acknowledged that their warehouses hold 612,000 sacks of unmilled rice, with approximately 10,000 sacks dating back two years.

He denied reports of rotting rice stocks, insisting that regular inspections are conducted.

The crisis has been exacerbated by the reluctance of Mindoreño millers to participate in government contracts.

Regindin explained that millers are deterred by the mandatory 63% guaranteed milling recovery rate, combined with low rice bran prices due to an ongoing ASF epidemic in the province.

Occidental Mindoro Vice Governor Diana Apigo-Tayag has urged Mindoro millers to participate in the next round of bidding, as the NFA’s warehouses can only accommodate 141,000 additional sacks of unmilled rice.

The DA Secretary indicated that administrative charges would be filed against the former manager (who was not named by Laurel), who was in charge during the period when the rice was left unmilled.

Screenshot image: courtesy of SMNI News Channel