Gov’t spends P117M for palay procurement in Capiz

By: Jemin B. Guillermo

ROXAS CITY, Capiz – The government spent more than P117.3 million to buy palay in Capiz in October 2019.

National Food Authority (NFA)-Capiz Information Officer Mary Christie Hari-on said P117,335,472 was released to buy 123,189 bags of palay here.

“We have a 137 percent accomplishment based on our 90,000 bags of palay procurement target for the month of October,” she said.

Hari-on said that NFA Capiz has enough funds for palay procurement.

“We still target to buy 90,000 bags of clean and dry palay from local rice farmers this month,” she added.

On the other hand, NFA Capiz Officer-In-Charge Herrielle Jumagbas encouraged farmers to sell their palay produce to the government.

Jumagbas said NFA-Capiz buys clean and dry palay with 14 percent moisture content and 95-100 percent purity at P19 per kilogram through its buying stations in Bolo Warehouse in Bolo, Roxas City; Dumalag Warehouse in Sta. Cruz, Dumalag; and in Sigma Warehouse in Mangoso, Sigma town.

“Availing of said government support price helps farmers get a better return on their investment,” she said.

Jumagbas revealed that farm-gate prices of clean and dry palay in Capiz ranges from P11.59 to P13.90 per kilogram.

The food agency here has already started the milling of palay that were bought from farmers as it targets to mill 195,000 bags by the end of the year.

“This will give space for more palay procurement and to augment rice requirement of Region VII in which transfer of stocks will start in December 2019,” she said. (PIA-Capiz)