NFA-NegOcc steps up efforts to buy palay for buffer stocking

BACOLOD CITY — The National Food Authority (NFA) reminded rice farmers in Negros Occidental that its provincial office continues to procure palay (unhusked rice) for buffer stocking.

Provincial manager Frisco Canoy said on Tuesday that they are campaigning for the procurement program as the NFA has not bought palay supply from local farmers since January.

“We have been informing them that our buying stations are open anytime to buy their produce at a certain price,” he said.

The NFA offers a buying price of PHP20.70 per kilogram. The current support price is PHP17 per kilogram plus additional Buffer Stocking Incentive (BSI) of PHP3 and other incentives of PHP0.70 for delivery, drying and cooperative development.

An individual farmer can get up to PHP20.40 per kilogram while members of farmer-cooperatives can sell at a maximum price of PHP20.70 per kilogram of palay being sold to the agency.

Canoy said that in last year’s first cropping season, NFA-Negros Occidental was able to procure a minimal volume of palay.

He noted that the lack of procurement between January and April can be attributed to the limited production during the first four months of the year.

Local farmers may have also opted to sell their palay to traders who have probably set a higher buying rate.

“We are also looking at the possibility that some farmers stored their product for consumption,” Canoy said.

He added that the limited production may also be associated with the prevailing effects of El Niño phenomenon.

Palay procurement is one of the proactive measures of the government with the implementation of rice tariffication.

Last February 14, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Republic Act 11203 which lifted import restrictions on rice to make the price of the staple commodity affordable for all.

The Rice Import and Export Liberalization Law has removed the regulatory functions of the NFA over international and domestic trading of rice and the agency can no longer act on licensing and registration of persons and entities engaged in the grains business, and collection of regulatory fees.

However, the NFA is mandated to implement buffer stocking mainly to ensure food security especially during calamities and emergencies.