The National Food Authority (NFA) has eased its palay procurement rules, a move the grains agency believes will open a wider market window for rice farmers and put more money in their pockets when prices are most vulnerable.
This followed after its meeting on Monday, February 23, with farmers, millers, retailers, and field officials at its central office in Quezon City to review and update its standard operating procedures ahead of the harvest surge. The outcome was a set of more flexible buying standards shaped directly by feedback from stakeholders on the ground.
Central to the revisions is a recalibration of what qualifies as dry palay. Acting on farmers’ requests, the NFA widened the acceptable moisture content range to 11 percent up to 14 percent, replacing a narrower benchmark of 12-14 percent that often led to rejected deliveries. The adjustment allows more farmers to meet the higher procurement price without being downgraded on technical grounds.
The agency maintained its buying price at PHP17 per kilo for fresh or wet palay and PHP21 per kilo for dry. But with broader moisture allowances and a refined pest standard now defined as “visibly free from pests,” fewer harvests are expected to be turned away for minor or non-material defects.
NFA Administrator Larry R. Lacson said the timing was deliberate. “As harvest peaks, prices tend to soften because of oversupply,” he said. “By widening our specifications now, we can absorb more volume and help farmers avoid distress selling. Every percentage point we adjust in moisture tolerance can mean more bags accepted and more income in farmers’ pockets.”
For years, growers have complained that rigid procurement rules pushed them toward private traders offering lower farmgate prices but quicker cash. The revised standards aim to make the NFA a more accessible and competitive buyer while preserving grain quality and rebuilding buffer stocks.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr., who chairs the NFA Council, said the changes reflect a broader policy direction. “This is about aligning procurement policy with the realities faced by our farmers,” he said. “President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has been clear. We want farmers to be profitable, not perpetually vulnerable to price swings. A food-secure Philippines starts with farmers who earn fairly from their harvest.”
Tiu Laurel added that smarter, more responsive buying rules strengthen both farmer incomes and national food security by ensuring steady palay inflows into government stocks.
As peak harvest weeks approach, the NFA’s recalibrated stance signals a pragmatic shift. For rice farmers, it could mean fewer rejected sacks, steadier demand from a government buyer, and a more predictable income stream at the very moment supply is at its highest.
