With the number of videos online allegedly showing 'fake' rice, the NFA decided to conduct an investigation, and found that the allegedly fake rice, isn't fake rice at all.
There is no fake rice, only fake news
The NFA along with a number of grain retailers in the Philippines recently held a press conference to debunk the reports that 'fake' rice is now widespread here in the Philippines. According to James Magbanua, national president of the Grains Retailers Confederation of the Philippines (GRECO), "There is no fake rice, only fake news."
Based on lab test conducted by the NFA on samples of allegedly fake rice, they found that the rice passed all of their tests and confirmed that it isn't fake rice.
NFA-FDC Director Jocelyn Sales shares, "Base po dito sa aming analysis na ginawa, yung pong sample na aming in-analyze ay totoong bigas," which debunks the number of videos suddenly popping up online, showing demonstrations of fake rice, as well as how to tell fake rice from actual rice.
According to the NFA, these types of reports aren't new, because they've been receiving similar reports since 2015, and they still haven't found proof that shows the rice as fake.
The NFA also conducted further investigation
Just to prove that the rice being sold in the country is indeed real rice, the NFA decided to conduct an investigation in the Baguio City Public Market, and found that no one was selling fake rice. They also affirmed that if ever fake rice was in the country, they will not allow it to be sold in any market.
The NFA shares that it would be best to purchase rice from trusted retailers in order to ensure the quality of the rice that they're purchasing. They added that if any consumer is doubtful about the rice that they've purchased, they can bring a 1 kilo sample to any NFA-FDC so that tests can be conducted to identify if the rice is fake or not. They could also call the NFA Bantay Bigas hotline at 0906-4363133.
GRECO also shared that they want the government to create a "Rice Watch Committee" in order to investigate and file complaints against people who are spreading unverified news regarding fake rice in the Philippines.
Source: news.abs-cbn.com
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