Farmers in Negros Occidental belonging to the Federation of Irrigators’ Association of Central Negros-Bago River Irrigation System (FIACN-BRIS) sold rice anew for P25 per kilogram at the “Bigasan ng Bayan” located at the Food Terminal Market in Bacolod City yesterday.

FIACN-BRIS president Pedro Limpangog said they sold five kilograms each to 470 individuals in their latest offering of low-priced prices in partnership with the provincial government.

“We are looking at using the proceeds to buy more rice stocks and sell these again at a lower price. We want to help those who are in need,” he said in an interview.

The FIACN-BRIS, comprising 44 irrigators associations, is divided into the North and South Districts.

Limpangog said the rice stocks sold were part of the harvest of the BRIS South District, particularly farmers from the cities of Bago and La Carlota, and the towns of Valladolid and Pulupandan.

In October, they sold five kilograms of rice to 455 individual buyers.

The “Bigasan ng Bayan” considers senior citizens, indigents and persons with disabilities as the priority consumers.

Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson, who joined Limpangog at the “Bigasan ng Bayan,” thanked the irrigators’ associations for the “selfless act” of allowing consumers to buy low-priced rice.

“This is part of their corporate social responsibility,” he said.

The FIACN-BRIS, which is under the National Irrigation Administration-Negros Occidental Irrigation Management Office, is being assisted by the provincial government under the Dagyaw Project to produce high-yield rice at a lower production cost with the assistance of job order workers, who are also association members, in planting crops and operating farm machinery. (PNA)