BACOLOD City – A group of farmers in Bago City, the largest rice producer in Negros Occidental province, has turned to the provincial government to cope with the low farmgate prices of palay.
Myrna Villa, chair of the 200-member Newton-Camingawan-Para (Necapa) Farmers Association based in Barangay Taloc, said on Thursday that during the start of the cropping season in September, they sold their stocks to traders at only P14 to P15 per kilogram (kg).
Villa said with the current P10 to P13 farmgate prices, farmers fear possible losses after spending P12 for production cost.
“We urge (the) government’s intervention in this very low farmgate price of palay,” she said. She added that the association has sent a letter to the provincial government, expressing its intention to sell its palay to them as it planned to also tap the National Food Authority (NFA), which buys palay at P19 per kg.
Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson earlier said P5-million fund was still available as per allocation by the provincial government for the procurement of palay.
The province’s buying price will be at P15 per kg. It will procure the farmers’ palay, and sell the stocks to government institutions. (PNA)
