HIGHER PRICES. National Food Authority staff conduct in-field procurement in Barangay 57 Pila, Laoag City, Ilocos Norte in this undated photo. On Tuesday (April 23, 2024), the NFA announced increased buying price for palay (unhusked rice) in a bid to encourage more farmers to sell to the state agency and help ensure adequate rice supply. (Photo courtesy of NFA Ilocos Norte)
LAOAG CITY – The National Food Authority (NFA) in Ilocos Norte province on Tuesday announced higher price for buying palay (unhusked rice), aimed to boost the government’s rice stockpile.
In a public advisory, NFA-Ilocos Norte provincial manager Jonathan Corpuz said the new price scheme was approved by the NFA Council on April 11 to boost supply in preparation for calamities.
“It was agreed upon by the council that the NFA buying price should be close to the prevailing market price,” he said.
NFA-Ilocos Norte also covers the provinces of Ilocos Sur and Abra.
From April 22 to 27, clean and dry palay to be bought by the NFA-Ilocos Norte branch will be pegged at PHP30 per kilo, from PHP23 per kilo previously.
For Ilocos Sur branch, the rate for this week is PHP29 per kilo while it is PHP28 per kilo in Abra.
Farmers selling palay at the NFA-Ilocos Sur branch will get additional PHP1 per kilo from the provincial government.
Corpuz said prices may vary per week depending on the prevailing price in the market.
NFA directly buys from farmers and farmer organizations or associations.
With the higher buying price, Corpuz said they target to buy over 100,000 bags of rice from Ilocano farmers. (PNA)
