LINGAYEN—The provincial government is seriously considering the suggestion of Agriculture Sec. William Dar to assist farmers affected by the rice traders’ manipulation of farmgate palay prices who shifted to importing or buying imported rice.

This was bared by Provincial Agriculturist Dalisay Moya who said Governor Amado Espino  III met with her and Provincial Legal Officer Geraldine Baniqued to determine if there are laws that would be violated if the province allocates funds and buys palay from farmers.

Sec. Dar, who was in Pangasinan last August 31, urged the provincial government to buy palay from farmers as soon as the rice harvesting season this year has started.

“The provincial government is a government entity and though we would like to take the challenge posed by Secretary Dar there might be certain laws which could affect our good intentions,” Moya said during the Talakayan sa Kapitolyo on September 10 at Urduja House.

Moya said the possibility of coming up with an enabling mechanism by which the province could assist farmers in their present predicament of low price of their product was discussed in their meeting.

Among the mechanisms proposed, she said, is the operation the Rice Processing Complex (RPC) in Sta. Barbara, which is still temporarily closed. The facility is co-owned by the Department of Agriculture and the provincial government.

“We next talked with the DA if the RPC can be put back in operation by the provincial government so that we can buy palay from farmers”, Moya revealed.

There are guidelines and policies that may be taken into consideration for the operation of the facility, she said.

“Hindi po tumitigil ang provincial government to explore measures by which it can rescue our farmers from their present predicament,” Moya assured.

She said palay harvests are ongoing and will reach its peak in October and November, adding these are the months that the farmers really need help from the provincial government.  

Another measure that will be proposed to the governor is to ask associations and cooperatives given loans by the provincial government to buy palay from the farmers at the regular farmgate price and to sell these to their own members with modest profits. (Leonardo Micua)

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