Rice farmers may earn more as NFA eases buying rule

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February 27, 2026 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines —  Rice farmers can now earn more from selling their produce to the National Food Authority (NFA) after the state-run agency relaxed its moisture content requirement, allowing for more palay to be bought at a higher price.

In a statement, the NFA said it tweaked its procurement rules, including lowering moisture content requirement and refining the definition of pest-free produce, to allow more farmers to sell their produce to the grains agency.

The agency lowered its moisture requirement for dry and clean palay to 11 percent, which would have been otherwise rejected outright by the NFA under its previous rules.

The NFA will now buy dry and clean palay with a moisture content range of 11 to 14 percent.

Previously, dry and clean palay with a moisture content lower than 12 percent was rejected by the NFA since these were already brittle and would result in more broken rice once milled.

“The adjustment allows more farmers to meet the higher procurement price without being downgraded on technical grounds,” said the Department of Agriculture (DA), the parent agency of the NFA.

The revision of the moisture requirement was based on the recommendation of farmers who had been complaining that their harvest was being rejected by the NFA because of the earlier narrower benchmark range, the DA said.

The NFA met with rice farmers, millers, retailers and field officials on Feb. 23 to review and update its procurement rules.

Another change in the rules will be how pest standard is defined. The NFA will now accept palay that is “visibly free from pests.”

“For years, growers have complained that rigid procurement rules pushed them toward private traders offering lower farmgate prices but quicker cash,” the DA said.

“The revised standards aim to make the NFA a more accessible and competitive buyer while preserving grain quality and rebuilding buffer stocks,” the DA added.

NFA administrator Larry Lacson said the timing of the revision of the procurement rules was “deliberate” since the country is entering the peak of its dry season harvest wherein farmgate prices are expected to soften due to higher available supplies.

“By widening our specifications now, we can absorb more volume and help farmers avoid distress selling,” Lacson said.

“Every percentage point we adjust in moisture tolerance can mean more bags accepted and more income in farmers’ pockets,” Lacson added.