NFA prepares for procurement season

San Juan, La Union—Reports of early harvests in some parts of the region shift the focus of the National Food Authority (NFA) to the forthcoming palay procurement season.

Director Carlito G. Co in a statement said that the agency has been preparing this early since reports coming from the field offices indicates that some commercial buying stations has already started buying palay from farmers.

“The previous week, we have been monitoring sporadic harvest from our provinces to position our logistical support for the procurement season. But this week, we have monitored that more areas have already started harvesting their palay. In fact, we were surprised that there are already farmers who sold their palay in our buying stations especially in the Pangasinan area. Reports given by our field offices in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur and Pangasinan indicate that the harvest season is peaking up, so we have also to be ready to buy palay from our farmers,” Co said.

Co added that part of the agency’s preparation is the opening of buying stations in strategic areas across the region and the fielding of mobile procurement team. Mobile procurement teams in Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union and the two branches in Pangasinan, he said, were fielded starting on September 9, 2013. 

“These mobile procurement teams will reach the remotest farms to buy from farmers on those areas,” Co said.

“It has been observed in our previous procurement activities that we could not just wait for the farmers to come to our buying stations to sell their palay. There are areas in the region where problems on transportation prevents farmers from selling their palay to the NFA, hence, they settle with traders who go to their areas to buy their palay at a much lower price which devoid them of a higher income. Our opening of buying stations that are near production areas and the fielding of mobile procurement teams makes it easier for these farmers to sell their palay and at the same time getting a fair share in their investment,” Co added.

The National Food Authority buys clean and dry palay from farmers at the government’s buying price of P17.00 per kilogram. Farmers who sell to the agency could also avail of incentives, whether they are individual or members of farmers' cooperatives. Incentive fees for individual farmer include delivery fee of P0.20-P0.50 per kilogram depending on the distance of their farm and another P0.20 per kilogram for drying fee. For cooperatives, the incentives are the same as the individual farmers plus an additional P0.30 per kilogram cooperative development incentive fee.

This main cropping season, the agency expects to buy around 1.4 million bags of palay which would serve as the region’s buffer stocks to ensure food sufficiency in the area.

The agency’s procurement program not only helps in boosting the buffer stock of the agency but also serves as a ready market for the harvests of the farmers offering them a competitive buying price resulting in a higher return of investment for their produce.

For more information on the NFA’s palay procurement program, Co advises the public to coordinate to the nearest NFA Provincial Offices in their areas.