The Kilusang Mambubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) on Tuesday, Sept. 19 expressed doubts about the National Food Authority’s (NFA) newly set buying price of P23 for unhusked rice (palay).
The NFA council, chaired by President Marcos Jr., had set a new palay buying price on Monday, Sept. 18, “to improve farmers’ income.”
KMP expressed concern about how the government can ensure that unhusked rice private traders will adhere to the P23 per kilo price in their transactions.
“It’s too good to be true. This is just for the National Food Authority’s buying price for palay but what about the buying price of private rice traders and millers?” it asked.
KMP also expressed concerns about Republic 11203, also known as the Rice Liberalization Law, which makes the procurement of significant quantities of palay from local farmers “limited.”
“Kahit itinaas ng NFA ang presyo ng pagbili nito ng palay—P19 hanggang P23 kada kilo sa clean and dry at P16 hanggang P19 sa wet palay, kung hindi naman malaki ang volume at hindi nito mabibili ang 30 percent ng local palay production, hindi rin signipikante. (Even though the NFA raised the palay buying prices from P19 to P23 per kilo for clean and dry palay, and P16 to P19 for wet palay, if the volume is not that high and if it cannot buy the 30 percent of the local production, it is not significant),” the group said.
It added that the NFA should also raise the volume of procurement of palay from farmers not only for buffer stocking but also to bring back the affordable price of NFA rice in the market. (Lizst Torres Abello)