NFA urges farmers to sell unhusked rice directly for better prices

NFA Administrator Larry Lacson is urging farmers to sell their unhusked rice directly to the National Food Authority (NFA) for better prices and to spend more time drying their harvests.

The NFA currently offers 24 pesos per kilo for clean and dry palay and 18 pesos per kilo for fresh or wet palay, which are higher than trader prices by 3 to 4 pesos.

Lacson emphasized that thoroughly drying palay can increase farmers' earnings substantially, with an additional net income of ₱4 per kilo expected.

Local government units (LGUs) are being asked to assist farmers by lending trucks for faster and cheaper transportation to NFA warehouses.

The NFA aims to purchase 880,000 metric tons of palay this year to meet the rice buffer stock requirement as prescribed under the amended Rice Tariffication Law.