Agriculture Secretary William D. Dar, PhD and Senate Chair for Agriculture Cynthia Villar formally launched the P10 billion-worth Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) implementation in the Province of Isabela on October 12, 2019.
Secretary Dar said that the event “marked a milestone in the history of the rice industry in the country” as it ensures the proper and efficient implementation of Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Trade Liberalization Law.
Based on the law, the RCEF will be used for rice farm machinery and equipment (50%), rice seed development, propagation, and promotion (30%), expanded rice credit access (10%), and rice extension services (10%).
“We will be using the ‘Isabela Model’ as we implement RCEF in other regions and provinces,” Secretary Dar said during the event that gathered hundreds of farmers in the rice and corn granary of Luzon.
The agriculture chief earlier encouraged top rice producing provinces in the country to engage in direct palay procurement to prop up farmgate prices following the lead of Isabela.
Under the proposed arrangement, the Isabela Provincial Local Government Unit will buy palay from farmers and bring it to the Municipality of Reina Mercedes for drying and storage.
The National Food Authority (NFA) will then take care of milling through accredited operators. The NFA will also prioritize buying palay from Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Program for Rice Farmers (SURE Aid) beneficiaries.
The DA has added P1 billion fund to augment the P2.5 billion-worth SURE Aid that grants farmers, tilling one hectare or less, a P15,000-loan with zero-interest and no collateral, through the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Agricultural Credit and Policy Council (ACPC).
Nagkakaisang Magsasaka ng Isabela (NMI) Agri Cooperative President Ana Cristina Siquian-Go encouraged the farmers to join cooperatives to avail of more benefits.
During the RCEF launch, the NMI and the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) signed a Memorandum of Agreement for the ACPC-led BuyANIhan Project for big cooperatives to start buying, drying, milling, and marketing palay.
In addition to RCEF, the DA programs and partnerships with public and private sector agencies target to arrest low palay prices and help farmers be more competitive. ### (DA-AFID)
