Gov't to offer more perks in local rice procurement: Piñol

More perks will be offered to rice farmers starting this week to encourage them to sell their harvest to the government instead of private traders, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said in an interview.

The additional benefits will be launched initially in San Jose, Mindoro starting Friday, he said.

The National Food Authority, which buys rice from farmers at P17 per kilo, will give an incentive of P3.70 per kilo, Piñol told radio DZMM.

The agency will also put up drying facilities at buying stations that farmers may use for free, he said.

Farmers with high-volume rice wholesales could also get "bonuses" like tractors and solar power dedication systems, said Piñol.

DZMM, 10 October 2018