(Photo courtesy of PNA)
ZAMBOANGA CITY – The Zamboanga City government has partnered with the National Food Authority (NFA) to provide additional financial assistance to local rice farmers through a Php 15-million incentive program for 2026.
Under the agreement, qualified farmers will receive an additional Php 8 for every kilogram of palay sold to the NFA, increasing their potential earnings during the harvest season.
Mayor Khymer Olaso and NFA-Zamboanga Peninsula Manager Oliver Cambas signed a memorandum of agreement on Friday under the Palay Marketing Assistance Program for Legislators and Local Government Units.
Olaso said the city government would directly distribute the incentives to eligible farmers based on official purchase records submitted by NFA Region 9.
“The NFA will submit a list of farmers who sold their palay to the agency to determine eligibility and facilitate payment,” Olaso said.
The NFA currently purchases fresh and wet palay at prices ranging from Php 17 to Php 23 per kilogram.
With the additional Php 8 incentive from the city government, qualified farmers could receive a combined amount of Php 25 to Php 31 per kilogram.
Olaso also requested the NFA to issue a certification recognizing Zamboanga City’s Php 8-per-kilogram incentive as the highest premium offered by a local government unit nationwide.
The mayor said the city government is considering increasing the incentive to Php 10 per kilogram in 2027 to further strengthen financial support for rice farmers.
The initiative aims to improve farmers’ income and encourage continued agricultural production by providing additional compensation for palay sold to the NFA.
