Farmers enjoying record high palay prices - ex-lawmaker

MANILA, Philippines - Rice farmers are enjoying record high palay prices, a development that would boost income in the countryside, former congressman and Isabela Vice Gov. Rodolfo Albano reported yesterday.

Albano said farmers in his province are selling their palay produce at P17-P18 per kilo, about P5 higher than the prevailing buying price before President Aquino assumed office in mid-2010, when the market was flooded with rice imports.

He said rice farmers are reaping the benefits of a two-pronged policy the Aquino administration is pursuing to protect rice farming.

“The President and Agriculture Secretary Procy (Proceso Alcala) are controlling rice importation. At the same time, the administration is building the necessary infrastructure like small irrigation systems to improve production,” he said.

“The result of this approach is that palay prices have slowly crept up to record levels, for which our farmers are thankful to President Noy,” he added.

The STAR checked with a rice trader-miller in San Manuel town and he confirmed that the prevailing palay buying price is P18.30 per kilo.

He said the National Food Authority is buying at P17, prompting farmers to sell their produce to traders-millers.

Albano said high prices necessarily mean more income for farmers. “A P5 premium translates to P250 per 50-kilo bag of palay. If a farmer harvests an average of 90 bags per hectare, that means an additional income of P22,500 for him and his family,” he said.

He added that even corn prices have gone up.