In a significant move to make rice more affordable, the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Irrigation Administration (NIA) in Negros Oriental have begun selling locally produced rice at PHP29 per kilo. The initiative, which started on November 11-12, 2024, in Sibulan town, is part of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) rice program launched by President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to ensure the public has access to affordable rice.
Alejandro Rafal, the assistant regional director for operations and extension at DA-Negros Island Region (NIR), announced that the program successfully sold 500 bags of rice, each weighing 50 kilos, over the two-day event. The rice was specifically targeted at vulnerable groups including senior citizens, persons with disabilities, beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), solo parents, and indigents, with a purchase limit of up to 10 kilos per person.
The rice distributed during the launch was sourced from Bayawan City, Siaton, and Ayungon. Rafal emphasized that future distributions will continue to utilize locally produced rice, facilitated by suppliers identified by the NIA, as local farmers are currently in the midst of their harvest season.
Additionally, Rafal highlighted a new contract farming initiative by the NIA, designed to boost rice production. Under this program, selected farmers receive PHP50,000 per hectare to aid their farming efforts. In return, they are required to give back a portion of their harvest equivalent to the financial support received, allowing them to retain any surplus as profit.