THE National Food Authority (NFA) said it has procured 11.52 million bags of palay, or unmilled rice, as of Nov. 20, amid the ongoing rice harvest.
“As of Nov. 20, the food agency has already procured a total of 11.52 million bags of palay from local farmers nationwide,” NFA said in a statement, for a daily average of 125,754 bags per day.
“We try to accommodate all farmers who sell their harvest. We have 642 buying stations which are strategically located across the country to accept their produce,” NFA Administrator Judy Carol L. Dansal said.
Ms. Dansal said that she is also confident of achieving the agency’s target of 14.46 million bags before the main harvest for the year ends. The harvest started late September and will end mid-December. She said that as of Nov. 20, the agency has hit 80% of the target.
“The main crop traditionally yields 70% of total annual production… We are hopeful, our target will be attainable,” she said.
The NFA’s buying price is P19 per kilo of palay, taking into account the Equivalent Net Weight Factor (ENWF) which factors in moisture content, purity and discoloration and damage to the palay.
A year earlier, the NFA procured 1.15 million bags between October and December. This year, procurement in October and most of November has exceeded this total at 4.67 million bags.
The NFA said it sold 13.17 million bags of rice in the year to date ending Nov. 20, via 20,196 outlets across the country, at P27 per kilo.
It is also conducting mobile sales to various markets, while also selling to government institutions like the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP), an d theDepartment of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
“In addition, the NFA conducts tagpuan (meeting place) rice sales through community-based outlets in areas which are not serviceable by the regular NFA outlets. As of Nov. 20, the food agency has sold 78,375 bags of rice through various tagpuans nationwide,” the agency said. — Vincent Mariel P. Galang
