ILOILO CITY — Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. assured farmers in Western Visayas that the government will protect their harvests during the upcoming main cropping season by raising the buying price of palay and temporarily suspending rice imports through Iloilo ports.

Speaking during the inauguration of the National Food Authority (NFA) and Department of Agriculture’s (DA) modern rice mill and dryer facility in Dumangas on 14 July, Laurel said the government will set the minimum buying price of wet palay at ₱21 per kilogram to help farmers cope with rising production costs, particularly the increasing cost of fertilizers.

Laurel said fertilizer prices remain beyond the government’s control, citing global supply disruptions and tensions in the Middle East that have driven prices higher.

To further shield local farmers, Laurel announced that the DA will suspend the entry of imported rice through Iloilo ports from mid-September until the end of November, coinciding with the peak harvest season.

The temporary suspension aims to prevent imported rice from depressing farm gate prices and ensure that local farmers can sell their harvests at fair prices.

Laurel made the announcement as he led the inauguration of the state-of-the-art rice milling and drying facility in Dumangas, which is expected to improve post-harvest operations, reduce grain losses, and strengthen the country’s rice supply chain.

The DA said the combined interventions form part of the government’s efforts to boost farmers’ incomes while ensuring stable rice production and food security.