Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. on Monday pushed for the fast delivery of programs supporting local farmers and fishers in the country in line with the food security, accessibility, and affordability targets of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s administration.

“Let us do our part because every day we spend in public service is a day truly felt by those who need it most,” he said in a statement for the celebration of Farmers and Fisherfolk Month.

Tiu Laurel said the programs include increasing the National Food Authority’s (NFA) buying price for palay (unhusked rice), which ranges from PHP23/kg to PHP30/kg for dry palay; and PHP17/kg to PHP23/kg for fresh or wet palay to boost the income of local farmers.

He also mentioned the modernization of NFA through additional warehouses and post-harvest facilities; tripling of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund to PHP30 billion; and scaling up of the AgriPuhunan and Pantawid (agricultural capital and assistance) program and the Agricultural Credit Policy Council.

On April 30, Tiu Laurel also announced the target operationalization of the DA Command Center by the third quarter of the year to help monitor and track supply and include data on agricultural commodities.

To date, he said the DA is advancing the change of cropping calendar to prevent massive agricultural losses due to natural calamities; adoption of wet-and-dry technology for rice cropping; improvement of climate-resilient crop varieties; establishment of greenhouses; use of drip irrigation and fertigation; procurement of farm machinery to reduce post-harvest losses; and establishment of cold storage facilities, among others.

In terms of rice processing centers nationwide, the DA logged 150 constructed centers since the start of the Marcos administration in June 2022.

The DA plans to build 22 and 30 more rice processing centers this year and in 2026, respectively. (PNA)