BACOLOD City – Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson said the P5-million fund of the provincial government allocated for the procurement of palay (unhusked rice) is still available.
“The fund is available. If ever there’s a need to buy palay, we will buy,” he added on Monday.
Lacson said the ordinance approved by the provincial board funding the palay procurement is still in the publication period, and the buying process can proceed later.
Last month, the governor cited that the provincial government has set aside an initial P5-million fund for palay-buying amid the plummeting prices.
The province’s buying price will be at P15 per kilogram. It will procure the farmers’ palay then sell the stocks to government institutions. The proceeds from the sale will be used to continue buying from farmers until needed.
The buying station will be set up at the rice processing center in Bago City, which has drying, milling and storage facilities.
In Negros Occidental, the National Food Authority (NFA) is buying palay at P19 per kilogram for clean and dry stocks.
From the previous support price of P17 per kilogram, the NFA Council recommended an additional P2, making the current buying price at P19 per kilogram.
However, the incentives of up to P3.70 per kilogram have been removed.
Frisco Canoy, provincial manager of NFA-Negros Occidental, encouraged farmers to sell their palay at NFA buying stations in Ilog town and cities of Bacolod, Bago and San Carlos.
The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist last month reported the average price of palay in the province has dropped to P13 to P14 per kilogram.(With a report from PNA/PN)
