President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered the setting of a floor price for palay to stop traders from exploiting farmers during harvest season.
In a Palace meeting with agriculture officials and lawmakers, Marcos Jr. directed the Department of Agriculture to draft an executive order establishing the minimum buying price of palay in coordination with the Office of the Executive Secretary and Senator Francis Pangilinan.
He also pushed for the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act of 2019, which allows government agencies and LGUs to directly buy farm produce, and supports the Benteng Bigas program that makes rice available at P20 per kilo.
The President called for a review of the National Food Authority’s charter, stressing that its role should be stabilizing prices, not importation. He also sought amendments to the Agricultural Tariffication Law of 2024 to enhance farmer support, extending the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund until 2031.
Marcos Jr. backed Pangilinan’s proposal to engage LGUs in palay procurement and create a Congressional Commission on Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food Security to assess the sector and push reforms.
He also emphasized strengthening cooperatives, mechanization, and extension services to lower production costs and boost yield, saying the long-term goal is to make local rice competitive against imports.IMT
