President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. assured Filipino farmers that they would not be forced to sell palay at a loss, as the government will continue to purchase palay at fair prices, regardless of the market cost of rice, under his administration’s Benteng Bigas Meron Na program.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on Sunday dispelled speculations from some quarters that palay prices might decrease as the government lowers rice prices to as much as PhP20 per kilo.

“Kahit ano pa ang maging presyo ng bigas, hindi po bababa dito ang pagbili ng NFA sa palay mula sa ating mga magsasaka,” President Marcos stressed in his BBM VLOG 271: Agrikultura posted on Sunday.

President Marcos reiterated that the National Food Authority (NFA) would maintain its minimum buying price—PhP18 per kilo for fresh or wet, and PhP19 to PhP23 per kilo for dry.

“Mayroon ngang nagsasabi na mayroon silang pangamba na dahil binaba ang presyo ng bigas, eh sasabay din ang presyo ng palay. Hindi po totoo ‘yan,” President Marcos said in his latest BBM vlog.

“Ang dahilan kung bakit kayang baratin ng mga trader ang pagbili ng palay sa ating mga magsasaka dahil wala silang mga processing kaya basa ang hawak nilang palay. Napipilitan sila na ipagbili kaagad ito kung anumang presyo ang ibinibigay ng trader,” the President continued.

The Marcos administration has established rice processing and drying facilities where farmers can bring their palay harvests, instead of selling fresh palay at low prices dictated by rice traders.

“Kaya naman ay nagkakalat po tayo ng mga rice processing plant, daan-daan na mga dryer para ‘yung farmer mayroon na siyang dryer, mamimili na siya kung saan niya dadalhin ‘yung tuyo na niya na palay,” President pointed out.

“Kaya hindi siya mapipilitan maipagbili ‘yung kanyang palay kung anong presyo ang ibinibigay sa kanya ng trader,” President Marcos said. | PND