NANCY ASKS MALACAÑANG TO REVIEW NFA PALAY BUYING POLICY

Senator Nancy Binay urged Malacanang to review the government's palay buying policy from local farmers as farm-gate prices of unmilled rice continue to rise.

"September na po at anihan nanaman. By practice, NFA is supposed to buy palay from our local farmers and producers. But with farm gate prices at P23 per kilo average, di makagalaw ang NFA kasi allowed lang sila sa buying price ng palay na between P17 and P20 per kilo," the Binay said.

In April, NFA requested to the NFA Council that they be allowed to buy palay at P25/kilo but Malacanang gave them a ceiling of P20.

"NFA is the ready-buyer of our local farmers kaso di sila makagalaw since napakababa ng buying price na binibigay sa kanila ng NFA Council. Huwag nating kalimutan na kailangan natin tulungan ang ating mga magsasaka at maliliit na rice producers. Kahit liberalized na ang merkado, di natin pwedeng hahayaan na lang ang malalaking traders ang magdikta ng presyo ng bigas," she said.

The senator said Malacanang should now intervene and push the NFA Council to be sensitive enough in helping local farmers while striking a balance between importing rice and buying locally.

"Mahalaga ang role ng NFA rice. Di po natin pwedeng ibalewala ang interes ng mga magsasaka. At di rin natin pwedeng hayaan na lang ang local traders na kontrolin ang suplay ng bigas lalo na pagdating ng kalamidad," Binay added.