NFA procures 2.2M bags of unmilled rice, seeks P8B more

The National Food Authority (NFA) reported on Tuesday that it has procured 2.2 million bags of unmilled rice from local farmers in the first quarter of 2025, amounting to P2.6 billion.

However, NFA Administrator Larry Lacson stated during a briefing that an additional P8 billion is needed to secure more palay and meet its target 15-day rice buffer stock for the country.

Under its mandate, the NFA aims to maintain sufficient rice buffer stocks by sourcing mainly from local farmers and recently announced plans to procure 90 new trucks this year to facilitate purchases from farmers, including those in remote areas.

The agency currently has a buffer of 358,000 metric tons or 7.16 million bags of rice, enough to last the country for 9.36 days, and is focused on unloading existing stocks to generate funds for additional purchases.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. expressed optimism that the country will achieve a record level of palay production and noted that the NFA would buy at least 300,000 metric tons of rice in 2025.