BOCAUE, Bulacan — The National Food Authority (NFA) has raised its palay buying price to P23 per kilo for clean and dry grains.

Rosendo So, president of Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG), said in a text message

to ARKIPELAGO NEWS BULACAN that the NFA Council chaired by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. “set on Monday a new price range for palay buying price in response to the changing production and market conditions with an aim of improving farmers’ income and ensuring sufficient supply of the staple.”

“Nagtawag ako ng meeting ng NFA Council para tingnan ang paanong puwedeng gawin para ang presyo ng pambili ng NFA sa palay, ‘yung wet at saka ‘yung dry, ay kailangan nating tingnan dahil nagbago na ang sitwasyon,” President Marcos was quoted as saying following a meeting by the NFA Council.

So said the President has confirmed that the NFA palay buying price for clean and dry palay was raised to P4.00 per kilo from the previous P19.00 per kilo to P23.00 per kilo while the buying price for fresh palay will be P16.oo-P19.00 per kilo depending on its moisture content.

On the other hand, Benjamin de Guzman, provincial manager of the NFA in Bulacan, has confirmed that the agency was granted to procure clean and dry palay at P23.00 per kilo from its previous procurement price of P19.00 per kilo this Monday (September 18) and will be implemented once they received the official memo.

De Guzman added that their agency will also buy fresh palay P3.00 higher compared to its previous price depending on its moisture content.

Meanwhile, rice traders in Intercity Industrial Estate in Bocaue, Bulacan, a major rice trading center in Luzon, confided that newly harvested dry and clean palay are priced at an average of P25.00-P26.50 per kilo as of Monday.

Photo: Mon Lazaro