LAOAG CITY – The city government of Candon in Ilocos Sur is providing PHP2 per kilo incentives to farmers selling their unhusked rice (palay) to the National Food Authority (NFA).
This is on top of the PHP1 per kilo given by the provincial government to those selling their supply to NFA this main cropping season.
“On behalf of NFA Ilocos Norte branch, we express our deep gratitude and salute the local officials of Ilocos Sur for their cooperation and support to our farmers,” Engineer Jonathan Corpuz, acting branch manager of the NFA Ilocos Norte branch, said in an interview on Wednesday.
With this, Corpuz is encouraging farmers to sell some of their produce to NFA to avail of the cash incentives, while helping the government to have sufficient buffer stock during calamities.
“This is a big help to our farmers as NFA continues to partner with local government units to provide additional cash incentives under our ongoing palay procurement program,” he said.
Under the agreement, farmers and organizations will automatically receive the payment for NFA’s buying price and the PHP1 a kilo incentive from the provincial government.
The PHP2 a kilo additional cash incentive from the Candon City government, however, will be released by the end of this cropping season. Thus, the farmers are advised to keep proof of transaction with NFA.
For this harvest season, NFA started buying palay in the first week of October as it aims to purchase over 65,000 sacks of palay as buffer stock for next year.
“The additional cash incentive is a big help for us as we cope with the high price of agricultural inputs and from weather disturbance,” said Rommel Hernando, a rice farmer from Ilocos Sur.
Meanwhile, the NFA in coordination with various local government units (LGUs), has been helping out in the distribution of sacks of rice to typhoon-affected families this typhoon season.
The NFA warehouse in Laoag City has 1,000 sacks of rice at 50 kilograms ready for dispatch. (PNA)