The Department of Agriculture in the Negros Island Region (DA-NIR) is preparing to implement the government’s P20 per kilo rice program in Negros Oriental.

Alejandro Rafal, DA-NIR assistant director for operations and extension, said yesterday that Negros Oriental provincial government committed P10 million as a counterpart subsidy for the initiative.

“We had a meeting recently with Governor [Manuel] Sagarbarria and he said he is just awaiting the Sangguniang Panlalawigan approval for authority to enter into a memorandum with the Food Terminal Inc.,” Rafal said.

The province will need approximately 7,500 bags of 50-kilogram rice to serve eligible beneficiaries, Rafal said, quoting the governor.

“Now that the DA has launched the rice program in Cebu, we are hoping that we can soon roll out the same in Negros Oriental and the NIR once we have received a copy of the Implementing Rules and Regulations,” he added.

Under the program, FTI will purchase rice from the National Food Authority (NFA), which sources palay and milled rice directly from local farmers.

Rafal emphasized that farmers will not be disadvantaged, as the government ensures a support price of P33 per kilo — well above market rates.

To cover the cost difference, the DA and the provincial government will each contribute P6.50 per kilo.

Currently, the NFA in Negros Oriental has 1,034 bags of milled rice and 5,059 bags of palay in stock.

Rafal said that if the local NFA cannot produce the requirement of Negros Oriental for the P20 per kilo rice program, the DA will source the rest from nearby areas as the province is not self-sufficient in rice production. (PNA)