Farmers in Barangay Sumapang Matanda, Malolos, Bulacan plant seedlings in their farm lots at the start of the second planting season Thursday, September 14, 2023. Maria Tan, ABS-CBN News
MANILA -- Rice watch group Bantay Bigas says the National Food Authority (NFA) must buy 20 percent of locally-produced rice this upcoming harvest season to raise the buying price of palay.
In a Palace release on Monday, the NFA Council said they will raise their buying price of dry palay to up to P23/kilo.
"Ngayon pa lang dapat mamili na ang NFA, pumunta na sa bara-barangay, maglagay ng buying stations, para doon na magbenta ang mga magsasaka," said Cathy Estavillo, spokesperson of Bantay Bigas.
Estavillo said that the government must also mill the rice and sell them at a subsidized price.
"At least 34-36 yung presyo ng bigas. Kahit papano, malayo man dun sa P20 per kilo, kahit papano, yun ba ang pinakamababa sa mga palengke kapag inilabas yun," she added.
They said P23/kilo is already a good price for farmers, but the NFA must loosen their standards as most farmers cannot dry their palay to the moisture content set by the agency due to lack of post harvest facilities.
Stakeholders welcomed the development after condemning the proposal to lower the tariffs on imported rice.
"Tandaan natin, yung tariff commission, hawak yan ng economic managers, tariff commission is attached to the NEDA. Lutong macao to, kunwari kumunsulta pero tapos na," said Leonardo Montemayor of the Federation of Free Farmers.
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