PALAY PROCUREMENT. A staff of the National Food Authority scouts palay suitable for procurement in Bulacan in this undated photo. At present, the NFA's buying price is PHP19 to PHP23 per kilo for dry palay and PHP16 to PHP19 per kilo for wet palay. (Photo courtesy of NFA-Bulacan)
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – Several local government units (LGUs) in Central Luzon have committed to help the National Food Authority (NFA) in its palay procurement program to boost buffer stocks and aid the farmers.
Moncada in Tarlac province and Malolos City and Pulilan town in Bulacan are among the LGUs in the region that tied up with the NFA’s Palay Marketing Assistance Program for Legislators and Local Government Units (PALLGU).
Under the program, the legislators or heads of local governments enter into a marketing agreement with NFA where the former will provide a premium amount, which will be added to the existing government buying price of palay.
Currently, the NFA buying price is PHP19 to PHP23 per kilo for dry palay and PHP16 to PHP19 per kilo for wet palay.
The municipality of Moncada has added PHP2 per kilo while Malolos City and Pulilan added PHP3 per kilo to the agency's palay buying price.
“Layunin ng programang ito na matulungan ang palay farmers ng bayan upang makabawi sa bumababang halaga sa pagbebenta ng kada kilo ng palay (The program aims to help palay farmers in the town to recover from the low prices of selling palay per kilo), “ Moncada Mayor Estelita M. Aquino said in a radio interview on Thursday.
Benjamin de Guzman, officer-in-charge of NFA-Bulacan, said they are currently in talks with other LGUs to take part in the PALLGU.
He said they have been visiting ricefields in Bulacan to scout palay suitable for purchase and to disseminate vital information regarding the NFA's increased buying price.
Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija Governor Aurelio Umali said he had a meeting with the NFA to help in the purchasing of fresh palay from the farmers.
“Sa mahabang panahon kasi ay ang tuyo at malinis na palay ang binibili ng NFA kaya bago sa kanila ang pamimili ng sariwang palay (For a long time, the NFA has been buying dry and clean palay thus the procurement of fresh palay new to them),” he said in a radio program.
The governor said he has committed to the NFA the full utilization of the provincial government's Nueva Ecija Rice Processing Center through the Provincial Food Council.
Umali said the provincial government will also allow the NFA to use their post-harvest facilities, including their available trucks and personnel and private traders facilities for the palay procurement. (PNA)
