NIA CONTRACT FARMS SELL P29/KG RICE TO THOUSANDS OF POOR FAMILIES, MEMBERS OF VULNERABLE SECTOR
The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) has to date sold a total of 1.14 million kilograms (kg) of rice at P29/kg to tens of thousands of senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), recipients of 4Ps, and other members of the country's vulnerable sector.
The milled rice, packed in 10-kg bags, was sold at P290 each at NIA central office in Quezon City and all other NIA regional offices, where the agency implements the Marcos government's rice contract farming program.
"To date, NIA has sold P33.15-million worth of rice to about 114,300 individuals and families nationwide, which is our humble contribution on behalf of President Bongbong Marcos to providing the less fortunate members of our society affordable and quality rice," said NIA Administrator engineer Eduardo Guillen.
The P29/kg-rice all came from the 38,000-hectare farms tilled by members of NIA Irrigators' Associations (IAs) nationwide, who are participating in the agency's rice contract farming program this current 2024 wet season cropping.
"To date, the NIA contract farms have produced 55,011 metric tons (MT) of palay, and from October 1 to December 30, 2024, these are expected to produce an additional 110,414 MT," added Administrator Guillen.
Initially, the harvested areas produced an average yield of more than five metric tons (MT) of palay, which is significantly higher by one MT compared to the country's national average harvest of 4.17 MT in 2022, according to the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).
This current 2024 wet season, the NIA under its contract farming program has partnered with 742 IAs and Farmers' Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs), with a total of 32,835 members, tilling altogether 37,953 hectares.
"This coming 2024-2025 dry season, we will increase the coverage of our contract farms to 120,000 hectares," said Administrator Guillen, who formerly served as mayor of Piddig, Ilocos Norte.
"Through the contract farming program that showcases economies of scale, we are efficiently combining the use of quality seeds, modern production technologies, farm mechanization, and hardwork and perseverance of our farmers," added Administrator Guillen.
"As a result, we are harvesting more palay per hectare, thus reducing its production cost and subsequently bringing down the price of rice, making it affordable and accessible to millions of our countrymen," he concluded.
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