Legazpi City -- The National Food Authority (NFA) in Bicol has revised its palay procurement target for July to December this year from 342,800 bags to 801,600 bags, an increase of 136% from its original target. NFA Bicol regional director Edgar S. Bentulan said after consultations with the NFA provincial managers, adjustments were necessary to the region's procurement intentions to conform with current realities and projections in production and market situation. "Per Department of Agriculture (DA) estimates palay production this 2nd semester will be 10.2 million bags." Bentulan said with the early onset of palay procurement starting July, due to replacement crops harvest in areas of Camarines Sur affected by floods last February and March, and the August replacement harvests in Albay that have been coming up since the 1st week, procurement this crop harvest will link over the main cropping harvest starting September up to December 2008. NFA's buying price for palay is P17/50 kg. and P1,800 for fertilizer incentive effective August 1, 2008 for those farmers selling 50 bags to the NFA. Aside from the high buying price, the NFA is employing procurement strategies such as: free hauling with the use of NFA trucks; mobile procurement teams to far-flung production areas; free use of NFA solar drying pavement; and a minimal fee of P12/50kg in the use of mechanical dryers. In anticipation for what be called unprecedented "mammoth" procurement, Bentulan emphasized that the agency will buy palay produce only from farmers and farmers cooperatives actively and actually tilling their farms and not from individual traders buying palay. Farmers/farmer groups are required to revalidate their passbooks/master passbooks requiring certification from the MAOs/Technician or NIA before palay deliveries are accepted. Bentulan said the NFA in the region has already bought a total of 104,197 bags of palay. "The NFA has established 18 buying stations in Bicol: Albay with 4; Camarines Norte - 2; Camarines Sur - 4; Catanduanes - 2; Masbate - 2; and Sorsogon - 4.
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