NFA Letter Circular No. AO-2013-04-003

(NAR) VOL. 24 NO. 2 / APRIL - JUNE 2013

[ NFA LETTER-CIRCULAR NO. AO-2013-04-003, March 13, 2013 ]

NATIONAL GRAINS STANDARDS FOR RICE AND CORN

Pursuant to the powers granted to the National Food Authority (NFA) under Section 6 (a) sub par viii of P.D. 4, as amended, and the pertinent provisions of the Rules and Regulations on Grains Business, and to protect the public interest and promote the general welfare as mandated by Republic Act 7394, otherwise known as the Consumers Act of the Philippines, the LETTER-CIRCULAR No. AO-97-08-001 dated July 23, 1997, titled “National Grains Standards for Rice and Corn, is hereby reiterated. This is also in pursuant to the Covenant signed during the Multi-Sectoral Groups of the Rice Industry dialogue on February 22, 2013. For your information, the salient features in the Circular are as follows: COMMODITY STANDARD SPECIFICATIONS A. General Requirements 1. The moisture content of a given rice and corn commodity shall not exceed 14% on “as received” basis.

2. The commodity shall be free from objectionable and foreign odors, live insect pests and other contaminants.

3. The commodity shall not contain chemical residues in excess of the maximum limits recommended by the joint FAO-WHO CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION.

4. In the case of shelled corn and corngrits, aflatoxin content shall not exceed the maximum level recommended by the FAO-WHO-CONDEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION which is 20 ppb for human food and 50 ppb for animal feeds. Appropriate procedures must be observed in the final disposition of rejected shelled corn and corngrits.

B. Standard Specifications for Palay 1. Classification Palay shall be classified into types on the basis of the size of brown rice grain as follows: 1.1 Very Long Grain 1.2 Long Grain 1.3 Medium Grain 1.4 Short Grain 2. Palay VarietyThis refers to the category/species of palay denoting its genetic characteristics whether it is traditional variety (i.e. Intan, Raminad, etc.) or modern variety which is a result of genetic improvement or interbreeding of different varieties (i.e. C-4, IR Series, BPI Series, PSB Series, etc.). Special variety palay shall be graded and designated according to the grade requirements of the standard and shall be identified under a specific variety such as Dinorado, Sigadis, Milagrosa, Sampaguita, Sinandomeng, Kalinayan, Baysilanon, and other varieties certified by the National Seed Industry Council (NSIC).

3. Grading Palay shall conform with the grade requirements specified in the following: GRADE (% BY (% BY WEIGHT) WEIGHT) PURITY, FOREIGN MIN. MATTER, MAX. PREMIUM 98 2 GRADE 95 5 NO. 1 GRADE 90 10 NO. 2 GRADE 85 15 NO. 3 C. Standard Specifications for Milled Rice 1. Classification Milled rice shall be classified into types based on the size of the whole grain and the degree of milling as follows: 1.1 Size 1.1.1 Very Long Grain 1.1.2 Long Grain 1.1.3 Medium Grain 1.1.4 Short Grain 1.2 Degree of Milling 1.2.1 Overmilled Rice 1.2.2 Well milled rice 1.2.3 Regular Milled 1.2.4 Undermilled Rice.

2. Rice VarietyThis refers to the category/species of palay from which processed or milled rice was derived denoting its genetic characteristics whether it is traditional variety not belonging to special variety rice or a result of genetic improvement/ hybridization. Traditional variety shall include all other indigenous or native varieties not included in the listing of special palay or rice. (i.e., Intan Raminad). Modern variety shall include genetically improved palay varieties exemplified by the IR-series, BPI series, PSB series and their common names. Special rice includes glutinous, aromatic rice and those with excellent eating and nutritive quality.

3. Grading Milled rice shall conform with the grade requirements specified in the following: (% BY (% BY WEIGHT) WEIGHT) BROKENS GRADE HEAD RICE, INCLUDING MIN. BREWERS, MAX. PREMIUM 95 5 GRADE NO. 1 90 10 GRADE NO. 2 85 15 GRADE NO. 3 75 25 GRADE NO. 4 65 35 GRADE NO. 5 55 45 D. Standard Specifications for Shelled Corn Shelled Corn-corn kernels, mainly of either dent or flint varieties of the plant Zea mays. It is also known as maize or “corn grain”.

1. Type 1.1 White 1.2 Yellow Corn 1.3 Mixed Corn 2. Classification 2.1 Flint 2.2 Dent E. Standard Packaging and Labeling for Milled Rice and Shelled Corn COMMODITY PACKAGING LABELING CLASSIFICA COLOR OF TION AND PACKAGE TYPE OF REQUIRED PACKAGING GRADE SIZE (KG) MATERIAL INFORMATION MATERIALA. BIG 15, 20, 25, 30, WOVEN PACKAGE 35, 40, 45, 50 POLYPROPYLENE (MULTIPLES (WPP), NON- OF 5) TRANSPARENT OR TRANSPARENT TYPE - SPECIAL SKY BLUE - RICE CLASSIFICATION - PREMIUM LIGHT YELLOW (i.e., WHETHER GRADE RICE WELL MILLED, - WELL WHITE REGULAR MILLED MILLED OR RICE GRADE UNDER MILLED NO. 1 GRADE FOR RICE) NOS. 2, 3, 4 - VARIETY OR 5 (SUPER) (OPTIONAL EXCEPT FOR - REGULAR WHITE SPECIAL RICE) MILLED - GRADE (I.e. RICE GRADE WHETHER NOS. 2, 3, 4 PREMIUM OR 5 GRADE, GRADE - UNDER ONE (1) WHITE NOS. 1, 2, 3, 4 OR MILLED CAVAN OF 5) RICE GRADE RICE OR TRANSPARENT - NET WEIGHT NOS. 2, 3, 4 CORN WPP SACKS (KG) OR 5 COMMODITY SHALL BE FULLY - NAME AND (ORDINARY) SHALL BE A OR PARTIALLY ADDRESS OF UNIT COLOR-CODED MILLER CONTAINING FOR SPECIAL - NAME AND FIFTY (50) AND PREMIUM ADDRESS OF KILOGRAMS GRADE RICE BUT OWNER (IN NET WEIGHT SHALL BE CASE OF OF SUCH STRICTLY CUSTOM COMMODITY. COLORED WHITE MILLING) THE WORDS FOR OTHER - IRON “WHEN GRADES. FORTIFIED RICE PACKED” HOWEVER, THE (IF APPLICABLE) AND “AS COLOR-CODED PACKED” PORTION SHALL FOLLOWING BE DOMINANT IN THE NET PROPORTION WEIGHT WITH THE SHALL NOT BACKGROUND. BE ALLOWED. - SHELLED WOVEN LIGHT GREEN - CORN POLYPROPYLENE CLASSIFICATION PREMIUM (I.E. WHETHER GRADE, WHITE OR GRADE NOS. YELLOW CORN 1, 2, OR 3 AND FLINT OR (ORDINARY) DENT CORN FOR SHELLED CORN) - GRADE (I.E. WHETHERPREMIUM GRADE, GRADE NOS. 1, 2, OR 3) - NET WEIGHT (KG) B. SMALL 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, POLYETHYLENE, POLYETHYLENE THE REQUIRED PACKAGE 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, PAPER OF BAGS MAY NOT INFORMATION 12, 13, 14, 15 CARTON BE SHALL BE OR COLORCODED. PRINTED IN FRACTION HOWEVER, BOLD LETTERS THEREOF COLOR-CODED ON THE COLOR- (E.G. 2.5, 5.5, PAPER CODED SACKS 12.5, ETC.) CORRESPONDING AND TO THE CONTAINERS CLASSIFICATION FOR MILLED AND GRADE OF RICE AND THE SHELLED CORN, COMMODITY BOTH FOR BIG (REFER TO AND SMALL COLOR-CODING PACKAGES. OF BIG PACKAGES) MAY BE INSERTED INSIDE THE PACKAGE PARTICULARS STANDARDS REQUIREMENT 1. SIZE OF PRICE TAG (LENGTH X 28 CM X 21.5 CM FOR BIG RICE WIDTH) BOXES (LEGAL SIZE BOND PAPER) 21.5 CM X 16.5 CM FOR SMALLER BOXES (1/2 LEGAL SIZE BOND PAPER) 2. COLOR OF PRICE TAG - SPECIAL RICE SKY BLUE - PREMIUM GRADE RICE LIGHT YELLOW - WELL MILLED RICE WHITE GRADE 1 GRADE NOS. 2, 3, 4 OR 5 (SUPER) - REGULAR MILLED RICE WHITE GRADE NOS. 2, 3, 4 OR 5 - UNDER MILLED RICE WHITE GRADE NOS. 2, 3, 4 OR 5 (ORDINARY) SHELLED CORN LIGHT GREEN PREMIUM GRADE,GRADE NOS. 1, 2, OR 3 (ORDINARY) 3. COLOR OF PRINT ON PRICE TAG BLACK 4. PRESCRIBED INFORMATION PRICE PER KILOGRAM (P/KG) CLASSIFICATION VARIETY (OPTIONAL EXCEPT FOR SPECIAL RICE) IRON-ENRICHED RICE (STARTING 2004) GRADE NOTE:

1. Unpacked milled rice and corn for retail must be displayed in white painted rice/corn boxes which shall be free of posters/advertisements. The prescribed color-coded price tag shall be conspicuously displayed on the grains box.

2. The required information shall be printed in bold letters and figures (except the symbol kg) on the color-coded price tag. For further details, please visit NFA website www.nfa.gov.ph. Any violation and/or non-compliance with this Letter Circular shall subject the offender to the penalties imposed under Section 29 of the Act promulgated under P.D. 4, as amended, and other pertinent laws, notwithstanding the provisions of any law and regulations to the contrary. This is for strict compliance.

(SGD.) ORLAN A. CALAYAG Administrator