NFA to buy more palay

MANILA, Philippines - The National Food Authority (NFA) will increase palay procurement from local farmers as the agency veers away from importation.

In a statement, NFA officer-in-charge Ludovico J. Jarina said the agency is taking the necessary steps to encourage more farmers to sell their palay by implementing new procurement strategies such as lending empty sacks to farmer organizations, opening buying stations in far-flung areas, and deploying mobile procurement teams.

As of Oct. 31, the NFA was able to procure a total of 5.25 million bags of palay from farmers through its various buying stations nationwide. Most of the palay brought by the agency are from Southern Tagalog, Central Luzon and Cagayan Valley.

NFA buys clean and dry palay at P17 per kilogram with additional incentives such as delivery fee of maximum P0.50 per kilogram; drying incentive fee of P0.20 per kilogram; and cooperative development incentive fee (CDIF) of P0.30 per kilogram.