ILOILO CITY — Provincial offices of the National Food Authority (NFA) were ordered to prepare for the influx of palay, following the launching of the PHP3.00 per kilogram buffer stocking incentives (BSI) under its palay procurement program in Western Visayas on Friday.
NFA Officer-in-Charge Tomas R. Escarez, in his message during the launching and “Grand Ugnayan”, told provincial offices to make sure their dryers are ready, warehouses are clean and act fast as the harvest season is about to end.
Under the BSI, the NFA will give an additional incentive of PHP3.00/kg on top of the PHP17.00 buying price per kilogram plus incentives of drying for P.20/kg delivery of P.20/kg and Cooperative Development Incentive Fund (CDIF) of P.30/kg. “Iloilo is the second area to launch the BSI. It war first launched in Mindoro,” he said.
Escarez said during their last council meeting, it was explained that the PHP17 buying price is only for clean and dry palay. As the moisture content goes higher and there are impurities, the price will start to go down.
The PHP3 is expected to help farmers cope with the high cost of production and for the NFA to increase its buffer stocking in case prices of rice will rise and when there is a calamity, among others.
He added that the NFA will not import as long as there are local supply that can be purchased.
To entice more farmers to sell their products to the NFA, he said they are preparing the guidelines for additional non-cash incentives, such as provision of post-harvest machineries.
Meanwhile, Atty. Judy Carol L. Dansal, NFA Deputy Administrator for Marketing Operations, said they are not competing with local traders but to “augment our buffer stocks.”
“With our farmers, we are introducing benefits,” she said.
With the case of retailers, they are discussing the proposal to impose suggested retail price (SRP) for rice. While it is yet to be approved by the NFA Council, the intention of the SRP is to lower the prices of rice in the market, she said.
Meanwhile, the TAPABIA (Tamboilan, Paloc Bigque, Bolilao), Dumangas Farmers’ Cooperative was the first group to benefit from the newly-launched BSI. A total of 150 bags of palay were brought by the cooperative to the KABSAKA Triplex at the NFA Compound in Jaro district.
TAPABIA treasurer Editha Depra lauded the government for coming up with the incentive.
She said that the price is almost similar to the buying price of traders although they buy fresh palay harvest or wet palay at PHP17 per kilogram. She cited though that in other areas, the buying price is now at PHP15 per kilogram.
“Here at NFA we get plenty of privileges,” she said.
She cited that before, they received around PHP800,000 in incentive that they used to acquire more farmlands and vehicles.
TAPABIA cooperative covers an area of 180 hectares with 103 farmer-members. (Perla Lena/PNA)
