DA: P30.8 B to help farmers cope with El Niño

The government has earmarked P30.8 billion in additional funds to the Department of Agriculture (DA) to support palay producers and stabilize the price of rice amid the El Niño phenomenon expected this year.

- DELON PORCALLA

The amount was allotted to the National Rice Program (NRP) of the DA under the 2024 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which is up by more than half a billion pesos from P30.2 billion in 2023, according to Rep. Brian Raymund Yamsuan.

"We're confident that not only the DA, but other agencies across all other concerned sectors would be fully prepared for this prolonged dry spell to ensure that our rice farmers get all the support they need to continue improving their productivity and incomes amid this challenge," Yamsuan said.

The NRP fund, according to him, is "on top of the allocations for other national programs" related to rice production and locally funded projects to benefit palay producers, adding rice producers are also "assured of cash aid" amounting to more than P15 billion.