Rice farmers in Albay province who will sell their palay (unhusked rice) to the National Food Authority (NFA) will get an additional PHP3 per kilogram on top of the agency’s current buying price of PHP19.

On Wednesday, Lorena Quising, Albay provincial information officer, said the provincial government will get a PHP3 million assistance from an appropriated PHP5 million from the Office of the Governor for the implementation of the Palay Marketing Assistance Program for Legislators and Local Government Units (PALLGU).

“Obheto kan nasabing a memorandum of agreement (MOA) na matabangan an mga lokal na paraoma sa saindang mga naaning paroy sa paagi nin subsidiya ngani na madugangan an saindang income urog na ngonyan na padagos an paglangkaw sa presyo kan mga farm inputs siring kan pataba, pesticides asin iba pa (The objective of the MOA is to help the local farmers in the province to have additional income particularly with the increasing price of fertilizers, pesticides and others). It will also encourage them to sell their harvested palay to NFA),” Quising said in an interview.

She said Albay and the NFA signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) on Monday to raise the buying price of palay in the province.

Under the PALLGU program, the provincial government will add PHP3 per kilo to the NFA’s palay buying price.

“This significant move aims to support the agricultural sector, help uplift the lives of farmers by providing them additional income, and help build up government buffer stock for distribution in times of calamities or emergencies,” NFA-Albay said in a social media post.

The initiative is expected to benefit 50,000 rice farmers in the 15 towns and three cities of Albay province. (PNA)