NFA seeks additionall budget to buy damaged palay

MANILA, Philippines - The National Food Authority (NFA) is seeking a supplemental budget of P350 million from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to procure palay (unmilled rice) damaged by Typhoon Lando, NFA administrator Renan Dalisay said yesterday.

Dalisay said the agency has submitted a letter to President Aquino for the provision of the budget.

The NFA is one of the four agencies under the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Food Security and Agricultural Modernization (OPAFSAM ) along with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA).

The state grains procurement agency was last granted a supplemental budget of P203.5 million in 2011 to buy palay damaged by Typhoons Pedring and Quiel.

Damaged palay pertains to harvested grain dampened by rains. The NFA buys damaged palay for P12 per kilogram for drying in its facilities. It buys clean and dry palay at P17. 50 per kilogram.

The NFA intends to procure palay damaged by Lando in the provinces of Aurora, Isabela, Bulacan and Pampanga, among other areas affected.

Dalisay said the agency maintains a rice inventory sufficient for 24 days in the areas affected by the typhoon.

Typhoon Lando damaged P5.7 billion worth of standing palay equivalent to 383, 668 metric tons (MT) of rice. Damaged were 272, 006 hectares, 269, 694 hectares of which have chances of recovery.

Agriculture assistant secretary Edilberto de Luna said the various DA department have prepositioned rice and corn seeds for distribution to farmers. It is also prepared to procure additional vegetable seeds.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said affected rice cultivation areas would still be able to recover in time for the January and February harvest, if farmers can replant immediately.