SEN. Francis Pangilinan on Thursday urged the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA) to demonstrate their readiness to buy rice directly from rice-producing provinces, saying government support should go beyond helping farmers produce their crops to ensuring they have a reliable market for their harvest.
Pangilinan, chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food and Agrarian Reform, said the government should prepare a province-by-province procurement readiness report showing whether it has sufficient funds, facilities and personnel to purchase rice during the upcoming harvest season.
“Aside from helping our farmers with planting and harvesting, we must also ensure that there is someone ready to buy their palay (unmilled rice). This is where the DA, NFA and other government agencies need to have a concrete plan,” Pangilinan said in a statement.
“Every farmer asks the same questions during harvest season: Where will I bring my palay? How much will my harvest be bought for? Is there funding? When will I be paid?” he said.
Pangilinan said the DA and NFA should identify the provinces where they are prepared to procure rice, the volume they can buy, the price they will offer, and how quickly they can purchase, process and move farmers’ harvests to consumers.
“If we want to strengthen rice production, there must also be certainty in the market. Farmers should know that when they harvest, the government will be ready to buy,” he said.
Pangilinan said the current situation presents an opportunity to strengthen the implementation of the 2019 Sagip Saka Act, which allows national government agencies and local government units to directly purchase food, including rice, from farmers and fisherfolk without going through public bidding.
The law seeks to expand market opportunities for farmers and fisherfolk by allowing them to enter into negotiated contracts with government agencies, helping increase their incomes and enabling them to scale up production.
Pangilinan said the procurement readiness report should cover all rice-producing provinces, with priority given to areas approaching peak harvest and those experiencing a sharp drop in farmgate prices.
The report should include procurement targets and schedules, available funds for purchasing rice, receiving, drying and storage capacity, payment turnaround times and actual purchases compared with targets.
He said the report must be transparent and predictable so farmers can make informed decisions about their planting and production plans.
He said a system that connects food producers with assured markets would strengthen the country’s food security efforts.
“True food security is not just about having enough supply. The farmers who produce that supply must also earn a decent income,” Pangilinan said.
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