Ada Pelonia

The National Food Authority (NFA) will rebid more than 37,000 metric tons (MT) of aging rice stocks on Aug. 12 after its previous auction failed to attract enough buyers.

In a notice posted on its website, the NFA said it would auction 741,570 bags, or 37,078 MT, of rice stored for more than six months. The sale is expected to generate about ₱1.076 billion.

The grains agency began issuing auction documents on July 29. Distribution will continue until Aug. 10 at regional offices and Aug. 11 at the NFA central office.

A pre-auction conference is scheduled for Aug. 5, while bid opening will take place on Aug. 12.

Interested bidders are required to post a bid bond equivalent to 10 percent of the total price offered for each lot. The amount will be credited toward the payment of the winning bidder.

The rebidding follows the unsuccessful June 30 auction, which NFA Administrator Larry Lacson attributed to limited interest caused by what he described as relatively high floor prices.

For the Aug. 12 auction, the minimum acceptable price (MAP) has been set at ₱29.51 per kilo for rice aged more than six months up to nine months; ₱28.57 per kilo for stocks aged over nine months to 12 months; ₱27.93 per kilo for rice aged over 12 months to 15 months; and ₱26.97 per kilo for stocks aged more than 15 months, including those stored for over 18 months.

The auction is open to farmers’ organizations, cooperatives and other qualified business entities.

Higher palay buying price

Meanwhile, Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the NFA will raise its minimum buying price for wet palay to ₱21 per kilo from ₱17 per kilo for the wet season harvest.

Tiu Laurel, who chairs the NFA Council, said the increase is intended to help farmers cope with higher fertilizer and production costs.

He also announced that imported rice shipments will not be allowed to unload at ports in Iloilo from mid-September until the end of November to avoid overlapping with the province’s peak harvest season.

According to Tiu Laurel, the higher buying price and temporary restriction on rice imports are intended to strengthen farmers’ bargaining position by boosting the NFA’s influence on domestic palay prices while easing competitive pressure from imported rice during harvest.

Image credits: Nonoy Lacza

Published Date: July 31, 2026