BACOLOD City – The Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas has discussed with the Negros Occidental provincial government ways to help rice farmers deal with plummeting prices of palay (unhusked rice).
DA regional director Remelyn Recoter said in a statement on Thursday that Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson is willing to come up with a provincial initiative.
“The governor is inclined to implement an economic enterprise mode utilizing the Rice Processing Center (RPC) which has drying, milling, and storage facilities,” Recoter said.
The DA official noted that the provincial government will partner with all the RPCs in the area to accept the produce of the farmers not accredited and without the National Food Authority (NFA) passbook.
Recoter said she is thankful that Lacson heeded the challenge of Agriculture secretary William Dar to directly engage in the rice industry value chain to provide direct solutions to decreasing palay prices.
According to the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), the average prevailing price of palay in Negros Occidental is PHP13 to PHP14 per kilogram, lower than the PHP18 to PHP20 per kilogram supposedly before the implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law.
However, Dar earlier said it is not the implementation of the RTL but hoarding that is to blame for the drop in prices of palay.
He added that although the Republic Act 11203 has “birth pangs”, he believed that it will help farmers become more competitive over time and lower inflation rates.
Lacson said in a separate interview that the provincial government is considering the option of buying palay.
It could be by providing additional fund to the NFA buying price or buying directly from the farmers.
Lacson said he will meet with the OPA and other concerned offices next week to discuss the Capitol initiatives.
At present, the NFA procures palay from local farmers at a support price of P17 per kilogram and also provides incentives of P3 per kilogram, and P0.70 per kilogram comprised of drying incentive of P0.20, delivery incentive of P0.20, and cooperative development incentive fee of P0.30 intended for associations where they belong.
An individual farmer can receive a maximum of P20.40 per kilogram while members of farmer cooperatives can get a maximum of P20.70 per kilogram for palay sold to the NFA. (With a report from PNA/PN)
