Manila: The Department of Agriculture (DA) emphasized the necessity of reinstating the National Food Authority's (NFA) regulatory powers to enforce a floor price for palay (unhusked rice) and safeguard local farmers from exploitative traders.
According to Philippines News Agency, the DA is currently conducting a study to explore possible legal avenues for setting a floor price under the Price Act, Anti-Agricultural Economic Sabotage Law, and other relevant laws. DA Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. highlighted that the proposed floor price should at least cover the production costs incurred by palay farmers.
In a recent ambush interview, Tiu Laurel stated, "Seriously na pinag-aaralan natin iyong sa DA iyan at naghahanap kami ng legal avenues para ma-implement ito (We are studying that in DA and we are looking for legal avenues to implement this) if possible." He further explained that restoring NFA's regulatory abilities would aid in maintaining a registry of farmers and traders, facilitating better monitoring.
Tiu Laurel also emphasized the necessity for all retailers and traders to register with the NFA by law, allowing for effective control and oversight. "Kailangan din iyong lahat ng retailers at traders ay kailangan by law mag-register sa NFA para makontrol lahat sila at makita natin (We need that all retailers and traders, by law, to register in the NFA so that we can control and monitor them)," he remarked.
He pointed out that without these regulatory powers, the NFA is currently unable to identify traders, leading to a "cat-and-mouse game." "Sa ngayon, talagang bulag kami sa NFA kung sino-sino mga ito. So parang it's a cat and mouse game kasi by law hindi na required. So, kailangan iyon na iyong regulatory powers ng NFA kailangan maibalik (For now, we are blinded in the NFA who are these [traders]. So, it's like a cat-and-mouse game because by law, they are not required. So, that's why there's a need for the regulatory powers of the NFA to be restored)," he added.
Beyond monitoring, the reinstatement of NFA powers would enable them to partake in market interventions, selling in local markets to shield consumers from escalating retail prices. Currently, the NFA's role is confined to procuring palay to maintain the national rice buffer stock for emergencies. It is only authorized to distribute its aging rice stocks during food security emergencies, auctions, or as part of the PHP20 per kilogram rice initiative under the 'Benteng Bigas Meron Na' program for vulnerable groups.
