Farmers call palay price hike ‘crumbs’
MANILA, Philippines—The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas has rejected the government’s proposal to increase its buying price for unmilled rice or palay by 70 centavos to P1, describing it as “crumbs.”
“It is totally inhuman for this government to give us crumbs,” said the KMP in a statement.
The militant group met with Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala last week to discuss the rising cost of rice production due to higher oil prices.
To encourage local farmers to plant more rice and make the Philippines rice sufficient, the National Food Authority buys palay from them at a maximum price of P17 per kilogram.
The KMP said the NFA should raise its price to P20 per kilo.
Alcala said the Department of Agriculture and NFA would discuss the group’s demand in the next NFA council meeting this month.
