The National Food Authority (NFA) will go toe-to-toe with private traders to buy palay or unmilled rice directly from farmers to shore up its buffer stock for emergencies.

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson, who is serving in an acting capacity, said they would buy the clean and dry palay from P23 to P30 per kilo, from the previous buying range of P19 to P23 per kilo.

For the fresh and wet class of palay, the agency would offer P17 to P23 per kilo, up from its former tender range of P16 to P19 per kilo.

Lacson said they would implement the purchase once the guidelines are in order and the documents are signed.

Earlier this week, the NFA said it was being outbought by private traders bidding about P27 per kilo, which could be considered a reversal of roles.

Traditionally, the NFA bought rice at higher prices than private traders, forcing the latter to stop shortchanging farmers. Without the NFA, private traders could depress farmgate prices with impunity.

Lacson assured that the agency has a sufficient rice inventory as a buffer stock despite their thin procurement.

“I think it’s enough because a lot has been harvested, a lot is in households, and a lot is with the private traders. The supply (of rice) in the Philippines is sufficient,” he said.

Lacson said NFA warehouses have about 42,000 metric tons of rice buffer stock.

NFA’s accomplishment report for February showed the agency procured 12,378 bags of palay, equivalent to 618.9 metric tons, representing only 2.28 percent of the procurement target of 542,800 bags, equivalent to 27,140 MT.

“I’m not that optimistic about reaching that because the harvest [season] is almost over. I think we are at the tail end,” said Lacson, referring to the NFA’s earlier target of securing over 500,000 bags.

“We will just buy as much as we can. After all, we have been given a price range. Then let’s see how much we can still buy,” he added.