NFA's P10 M initial fund to start palay buying operations
An initial fund of P10 million is now available to start the National Food Authority's palay buying operations, said NFA Provincial Manager Hedy G. Jardeleza.
Jardeleza said that the NFA in Iloilo province is now ready to accept palay deliveries from individual farmers and farmer groups who have secured their accreditation with NFA for the year 2006.
"Additional funds will be released to accommodate more palay deliveries in anticipation of a bumper harvest this year," Jardelesa said and emphasized that the NFA buys clean and dried palay at P10 per kilogram with additional incentive of P0.10 kg for the delivery and P0.515 per kilogram as drying incentive for those palay sold with 14% moisture content and below.
Farmers organizations will get additional P0.25 Cooperative Development Incentive fee (CDIF) for every kilogram of palay sold to NFA. The accumulated CDIF can now be used for purposes other than the acquisition of post-harvest facilities such as for the purchase of fertilizers, seeds and other farm inputs and rice from NFA or to amortize loans secured by the cooperative from other government agencies.
Senior Grains Operations Officer Antonio Mendoza said that NFA also buys wet palay at adjusted prices based on moisture content and volume depending on the buyingh stations drying capabilities. Framers are encouraged to dry their palay to avail of better prices.
(PIA/T.Villavert)