Traders outbidding NFA for palay

The National Food Authority is facing difficulties in procuring palay during harvest season.  

NFA OIC Administrator Larry Lacson said traders are buying palay at prices higher than NFA's offer. 
"Hanggang ngayon nahihirapan pa rin kaming mamili. Ang monitoring namin parang nasa 25 to 27 [pesos] pa rin eh ang buying price naman natin pinakamataas 23 [pesos]."

(Until now we are having difficulties buying palay. Our monitoring shows palay going for P25 to P27, while our buying price is P23.)

While Lacson does not want to speculate on the reason, he believes  the traders need the supply of palay which ultimately benefits the farmers. "Kapag mataas ang presyo ng trader, meaning kailangan nila ng supply talaga for whatever reason, kasi hindi ka naman bibili ng ganun kataas talaga kung di mo needed talaga. Isa lang alam ko with that price kumita ng husto yung ating mga magsasaka which is good naman para sila naman makapanginabang ngayon season na ito."

(When the trader offers high prices, that means they really need the supply for whatever reason, because they would not buy at that price unless it's really needed. But I know one thing, with that price our farmers will earn well which is good, so that they will be the ones to benefit this season.)

Lacson said he will personally visit Mindoro to catch up on procurement, which currently stands at 6.48 percent accomplishment rate for the quarter.

In spite of the low procurement, the NFA said there is sufficient supply of rice. 

"May stock na si NFA. Dinadagdagan na lang natin ng mga binibili natin ngayon. Sagana po ang ani, mas mataas, mas tataas pa nga from last year. Wala pong shortage, wala po tayong dapat ika bahala," Lacson said.

(The NFA has rice stocks. We're just adding to the stock with our current purchasing. The harvest is bountiful, even higher than last year. There is no shortage, and there is nothing to worry about.") — BM, GMA Integrated News