The National Food Authority (NFA) implemented on Monday the new and higher buying price for play (unhusked rice) to help increase the country’s national rice buffer stock and eliminate the single pricing nationwide.

The price range is now set at PHP17 to PHP23 per kilogram for fresh or wet palay; and PHP23 to PHP30/kg for clean and dry palay.

“This is unique in the sense that different provinces will have different prices depending on the conditions in the province such as prevailing farm gate price, remaining harvest, and most importantly the target palay procurement for the area,” NFA officer-in-charge Administrator Larry Lacson said in a statement.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., likewise, said the adjusted price range would help the NFA meet its target purchase of 300,000 metric tons of rice buffer stock for the year.

“Well, it should help the farmers earn more money while we can do buffer stocking at least sa tail-end nung harvest na ito. Para dumami rin, maparami iyong stocks natin (of this harvest. So that we could increase, increase our stocks),” he said in a separate interview.

Before the price adjustment, NFA’s buying price was pegged at PHP16 to PHP19/kg. and PHP19 to PHP23/kg., for wet and dry palay, respectively.

Besides the adjusted prices, Lacson earlier vowed to improve the rice quality of NFA rice, which should match the commercial quality.

In terms of NFA quality requirements, the clean and dry palay must be at least 90 percent pure, with a moisture not exceeding 14 percent; while the fresh palay must have a moisture range of 22 to 29.9 percent. (PNA)