MALOLOS CITY – The National Food Authority (NFA) Bulacan have settled their P40 million debts to Bulacan farmers for procured palay last month.
The payment came after local farmers complained saying many of them are already going hungry.
Eduardo Camua, information officer of NFA-Bulacan, said that funds from the national government came and disbursed to local farmers’ group and cooperatives.
“Bayad na lahat yung utang namin sa farmers, at mayroon pa kaming available P11 million for more palay procurement,” Camua said.
He said that the arrears were paid to a number of cooperatives and farmers groups who sold about 50,000 sacks of palay to NFA since last September.
The said amount is part of the target 200,000 sacks of palay to be procured in the province in which at least 180,000 have been secured.
Earlier, Arturo Figueroa said NFA’s aggressive palay procurement in Bulacan was due to Department of Agriculture’s directive “to buy all palay they can buy to secure rice stocks for next year.”
Figueroa added that NFA’s high procurement price per kilo helped them to nearly achieve their goals in Bulacan.
He said that NFA buys palay at P17 per kilo compared to commercial traders’ offer of P16.50 per kilo.
Aside from the high procurement price, the NFA is also offering additional P1,800 fertilizer subsidy to farmers groups who sold at least 50 bags to them.
“Naparaming palay ang ibinenta ngayong taong ito sa NFA kaya naantala ang pagbabayad namin,” he said.
The same was echoed by Nicolas Crisostomo, NFA regional director in Central Luzon, who gave assurance that they will make up for the lost time.
He said that it was not their intention to delay payment for procured palay.
“Hindi na kami magugutom,” they said noting they can now prepare for next planting season.
The same farmers complained earlier that the longer the delay of payment for their procured rice means more agony to their families.
“Isang kahig, isang tuka pa rin ang magsasaka, kaya kapag delayed ang payment sa kanila, tiyak na gutom ang pamilya,” said Melencio Domingo, chair of the City Agriculture and Fisheries Council here.
