PALAY PRODUCTION

▪ The National Food Authority (NFA) Bicol regional office has surpassed the target for its palay procurement program despite the dry spell brought about by El Niño phenomenon. Edgar Bentulan, NFA Bicol regional director, disclosed that the agency was able to purchase some 601,861 bags of palay from individual farmers and farmer organizations, that is, 141.45 per cent more that the target of 425,500 bags until end of April.

“The amount is very much higher as well compared to January to April, 2009 procurement totalling only to 256,814 bags,” he said. Bentulan added that NFA’s partnership with the local farmers during the harvest season boosted the latter’s income because of the higher government support price of P17.00 per kilogram and the grant of additional incentives such as P0.30 per kilogram as cooperative development incentive fund for farmer cooperatives; P0.20 per kilogram as delivery incentive and; P0.20 per kilogram as drying incentive.