CALAMBA CITY, Laguna (PIA) – The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Calabarzon resumed selling affordable rice to the region’s vulnerable sector under the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) rice program which sells rice at P29 per kilo.
The BBM rice was produced and harvested by local farmers from Santa Maria, Laguna as part of the Farming Support Services Program (FSSP), also known as the NIA Rice Contract Farming Program.
Division Manager Engr. Fidel Martinez of NIA Laguna-Rizal said the FSSP is a partnership between NIA and irrigation association members where farmers’ harvests are sold directly to NIA.
“The rice harvested are supported by the program and is part of the goals of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to enrich the agricultural sector and meet the food security goals of the country,” Martinez said.
Some 2,000 sacks of rice or 10 kilograms per pack were made available for senior citizens, Persons with Disabilities (PWDs), solo parents, and beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) during the Murang Bigas sa NIA program in Pila, Laguna on January 9.
A kilo of BBM rice at P29 per kilo is lower than the P50 per kilo of commercial rice in the market.
At present, the program covers 87 hectares of farmland in Sta. Maria, Laguna and supports 46 farmers from the Santamasi Irrigators Association Inc.
In September 2024, farmers were given farm inputs for the planting season up to the harvest stage in December 2024 where they are guaranteed of income as NIA purchases their harvests.
“The SANTAMASI is thankful for NIA that they have a program like this. The cost of production are all free, but the farmers still earn,” Ciriaco Reyes, vice president of the SANTAMASI Irrigators Association said.
NIA Regional Manager Engr. Roberto Dela Cruz said he was thankful to Sta. Maria farmers whose efforts made the supply of affordable rice possible.
He expressed the hope that more farmers would join the program so that rice continues to be within reach while driving up profits for farmers. (CH/PIA-Laguna)