LAOAG CITY – Rice farmers in Santa, Ilocos Sur who will sell their unhusked rice or palay to the National Food Authority (NFA) will get an additional PHP3 per kilo on top of the agency’s current buying price of PHP19.
“This is an advanced Merry Christmas [gift] to the farmers of Santa,” Jonathan Corpuz, general manager of the NFA Ilocos branch, said on Friday following the signing of a memorandum of agreement between the local government unit of Santa and the NFA for the Assistance Program for Legislators and Local Government Units (PALLGU).
Under the agreement, the Santa government will give a premium amount of PHP3 per kilo on top of the government procurement price of palay which is currently fixed at PHP19 per kilo when buying from individual farmers or farmer organizations.
The Santa government is the first to implement the PALLGU for its rice farmers to boost their productivity.
The program aims to provide opportunities for rice farmers to maximize their income and local government units and other national government agencies to serve their farmer constituents.
"This is a great help to the farmers considering that the grain marketing during harvest season is not in a good situation. Farmers are forced to sell their produce at a very low price during peak season when the supply is high," said the agency in a statement about the program.
It will also help to increase the buffer stock of the NFA, which is the main mandate of the agency after the removal of importation imposed by Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tarrification Law. (PNA)