DA denies farmers' suicide linked to palay prices, asks NBI for probe

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has denied claims that at least three farmers in Nueva Ecija committed suicide due to the declining price of palay.

DA Assistant Secretary Arnel De Mesa stated that initial investigations found no direct link and cited other factors like pre-existing health conditions in some cases.

However, the DA has requested the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) to conduct a deeper probe into the incidents.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. noted that the DA's fact-finding report and law enforcement accounts contradict the claims, and the agency has received statements from the families of the deceased.

Magsasaka Party-list Chairperson Argel Joseph Cabatbat initially made the claim in a radio interview.

While the National Food Authority (NFA) buys palay at P18/kg for fresh harvests and P24/kg for clean, dry grains, Secretary Laurel stated that the NFA's limited budget and stripped regulatory powers hinder its ability to purchase more and intervene effectively in the market.

Farmer groups attribute these issues to the Rice Tariffication Law, which they claim allows traders to suppress palay prices, leading to farmgate prices as low as P14 per kilo.