The National Food Authority (NFA) has tapped 15 rice mills in Region 12 under an emergency procurement program to expand palay purchases from farmers while boosting rice buffer stocks in Central Mindanao.

In a statement on Tuesday, the agency said the initiative covers more than 215,000 50-kilo bags of palay harvested across SOCCSKSARGEN, with milling contracts valued at P48.5 million.

The program is expected to yield 133,251 bags of rice for government warehouses as authorities continue monitoring domestic supply and price stability.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., who also chairs the NFA Council, said the intensified milling operations would help create additional storage space for palay procurement.

The emergency milling program is expected to benefit nearly 1,100 farmers in Central Mindanao by enabling the NFA to sustain palay procurement at favorable prices.

Tiu Laurel said the milling initiative was designed not only to strengthen rice supply but also to ensure continued government support for local farmers.

He added that the milling contract arrangement would also be replicated in other rice-producing areas nationwide to maximize support for local rice producers.

“This is more than just a procurement exercise. Every bag of palay we move out of our warehouses means another farmer we can help and another family assured that their harvest has value,” said NFA administrator Larry Lacson.

“We are clearing space not simply to store rice, but to keep buying from farmers who rely on us during difficult market conditions. That support can spell the difference between profit and loss for many small growers,” he added.

Most of the contracts, covering around 161,841 bags of palay, were awarded to six millers in North Cotabato, which have a combined 12-hour milling capacity of 4,526 bags.

Another six millers in Sultan Kudarat will process 45,357 bags, while three millers in South Cotabato will handle the remaining 7,965 bags.

SOCCSKSARGEN remains among Mindanao’s major rice-producing regions, generating up to 1.5 million metric tons of palay annually, with North Cotabato accounting for roughly 40 percent of the region’s total output.