Ilocos Sur palay farmers get more cash incentives

IN-FIELD PROCUREMENT. An employee of the National Food Authority (NFA) checks on the quality of rice sold to the agency in this undated photo. To increase farmers' income, some local government units in northern Luzon inked an agreement with NFA for the provision of additional cash incentives when farmer sell their produce to the government food agency. (Photo courtesy of the NFA)

By Leilanie Adriano 

LAOAG CITY – Rice farmers from Candon City, Ilocos Sur will receive an additional P2 a kilo when they sell to the National Food Authority.
    NFA-Ilocos Region branch manager engineer Jonathan Corpuz said the cash incentive is on top of the P1 that the provincial government will add to the P23 per kilo buying price of NFA.
    “This is a big help to our rice farmers as the NFA has partnered with local government units for the provision of additional cash incentives under the palay procurement program,” he said.
    Under the agreement, registered farmers and organizations will automatically receive the payment for NFA’s buying price and the P1 a kilo incentive from the provincial government.
    However, the additional cash incentive from the Candon City government will be released by the end of this cropping season, thus the farmers are advised to keep their proof of transaction with NFA.
    Aside from Candon City, the local government of Santa also announced a P3 additional cash incentive to its farmers who will sell their palay to the government food agency.
    NFA earlier announced its aggressive in-field and in-warehouse procurement in various parts of Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Abra this harvest season.
    “We are happy that the government has listened to our plea to increase the buying price of palay this harvest season. The price adjustment gives us a better choice of where to sell our produce,” said Rogelio Bagoyo, a rice farmer from Ilocos Sur.
    For this harvest season, NFA started buying palay in the first week of October.
    It aims to purchase over 65,000 sacks of palay as buffer stock for next year. -- PNA