NFA raises palay procurement goal to 1.14 Mmetric tons

In an effort to meet the ideal 15-day buffer stock, the National Food Authority (NFA) has increased its rice purchasing target to 1.14 million metric tons (MT) from 389,000 MT of palay (unhusked rice).

In a press statement on Saturday, the state-run grains agency said the higher procurement goal was approved during the recent meeting of the NFA Council led by Agriculture Secretary William Dar.

The NFA has stepped up its procurement of unhusked rice following the signing of Republic Act (RA) 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law in February this year.

Under RA 11203, the NFA is mandated to maintain the equivalent 15 to 30 days of the country’s rice consumption.

The NFA bought 5.9 million bags of unmilled rice from farmers from January to August 2019, exceeding its target of 5.3 million.

The increase in procurement of unhusked rice is also seen as a solution to help local farmers cope with falling selling prices of the country’s staple.

“The National Food Authority will employ new ways to make it more responsive and effective under the Rice Tariffication Law regime,” it said in a statement.

To serve more Filipino farmers in several provinces, the NFA said it also set up a total of 558 palaybuying stations, 247 more than the previous 311.

Dar said the NFA will focus on buying unmilled rice in Top 10 riceproducing provinces, which include Isabela, Nueva Ecija, Cagayan, Tarlac, Pangasinan, Iloilo, Camarines Sur, Negros Occidental, North Cotabato and Zamboanga del Sur. (PNA)