Marcos orders palay floor price, stronger farmer support measures

President Marcos has ordered the establishment of a floor price for palay to protect farmers from traders who buy their harvest at unreasonably low rates.

- By ARGYLL CYRUS GEDUCOS

In a Palace meeting on Thursday, Sept. 25, Marcos directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to coordinate with the Office of the Executive Secretary and the office of Senator Francis "Kiko" Pangilinan in drafting an executive order setting the minimum buying price for palay.

The President stressed that while retail prices of rice have gone down, farmers continue to suffer from low farmgate prices during the peak harvest season.

Pangilinan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Food, and Agrarian Reform, proposed the measure during the meeting, citing the vulnerability of farmers to traders who exploit harvest-time oversupply.

Marcos likewise ordered the full implementation of the Sagip Saka Act of 2019, which allows government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to buy produce from accredited farmers and fisherfolk directly.