CALAMBA CITY, Laguna – The National Irrigation Administration-Calabarzon (NIA-4A) in Quezon province launched the “Murang Bigas sa NIA @ P29/kg” (Cheap Rice at NIA @ PHP 29/kg) program on Tuesday as part of the KabayaNIAn agri-trade fair in Infanta town.
Vince Santoalla, public relations officer of NIA-4A, said in a phone interview that the program prioritized 1,010 beneficiaries, including senior citizens, Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program members, single parents, and persons with disabilities.
Santoalla said the initiative was made possible through NIA’s Rice Contract Farming partnership with the Federation of AGOS River Irrigation System Farmers IA in Infanta.
The agreement, established in May, covers 79 hectares of rice farms encompassing the villages of Pilaway, Amolongin, Binonoan, Langgas and Alitas.
“The heavy rains brought by Tropical Storm Enteng had minimal impact on the harvest, as farmers had begun harvesting in the last week of August,” Santoalla noted.
He added that the NIA has also scheduled to sell cheap rice at its regional office in Pila, Laguna on Sept. 13.
On July 5, the Department of Agriculture launched the large-scale trial for P29-rice in 10 Kadiwa stores in the National Capital Region and Bulacan province.
Two more sites were added after two weeks in Bacoor, Cavite and San Pedro, Laguna.
Overall, the P29 program aims to benefit 6.9 million households nationwide with supplies coming from the stocks of the National Food Authority and harvest from contract growing programs of the NIA. (Zen Trinidad/PNA)