The National Food Authority’s (NFA) procurement of palay (unmilled rice) from local farmers is ongoing despite unstable weather conditions in the country.

“We continue to buy rice at a favorable price and help our local farmers despite the intermittent weather and rainfall experienced in most parts of our country,” NFA Administrator Larry Lacson said.

The food agency continually sources rice primarily intended for buffer stocking in the areas of Eastern Pangasinan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Oriental Mindoro, Laguna, Occidental Mindoro, Camarines Sur, Iloilo, Northern Samar, Zamboanga City, Lanao Norte, Davao Norte and Davao Sur.

“NFA staff are on hand and in constant contact with farmers’ associations and cooperatives, as well as with our local governments, to ensure that we can purchase rice to help our farmers,” he added.

NFA disclosed last month that it had achieved 100.06 percent of its palay volume target from January to June.

Out of the total target of 3,363,100 bags, equivalent to 168,155 metric tons (MT) of palay, NFA has acquired a total of 3.5 million bags, or around 175,000 MT, Lacson pointed out.

In April, the NFA increased the purchase price for palay after admitting their thin procurement due to private traders outbidding them with higher buying prices.

Under the new price range scheme, or PRICERS, the food agency buys wet palay at P17 to P23 per kilogram and dry palay at P23 to P30 per kilogram.

A total of 495,000 MT of palay is the target for this year, of which 60 percent will be procured during the wet season harvest.