SAN JOSE, Antique – The National Food Authority (NFA) in this province is now engaged in aggressive palay-buying spree with the start of the harvest season that will peak by end of September to October.
Marianito Bejemino, NFA-Antique manager,
said that they have solely purchasing local farmers’ produce to fill the
government’s buffer stocks.
“This is our way of supporting them and ensuring that there would be enough
local stocks for food security in the province,” added Bejemino.
He said they are expecting to be able to buy about 1,000 bags of palay per day by the end of September and by October when more farmers are able to harvest.
“As of now, the NFA is able to procure an average of 500 bags of palay per day but we expect that this would increase during the peak of the harvest time,” Bejemino noted.
The NFA buying price, according to Bejemino, is still P17 per kilogram plus the incentives for the farmer’s cooperative or association and transportation.
“We have been assured by the NFA Central Office that there will be enough funds for the palay procurement program,” Bejemino said.
He said the NFA is assisting farmers to help dry their palay for a reasonable cost of P38 for every 50 kilogram.
“We have six drying facilities at the NFA,” he said, adding that the drying facilities at the NFA warehouse in San Jose are accepting farmer’s produce.
“The charge for the drying facility use is comparable when farmers do the sun drying with the cost of labor now,” he said.
He added that farmers may coordinate with their municipal agriculture officers or ask certification from their barangay captain, which they could show to the NFA for the drying of their palay. (With a report from PNA/PN)
