The Department of Agriculture (DA), through its Masagana Agri-Food Infrastructure Modernization (MAFIM) program, has completed the rehabilitation of six out of ten National Food Authority (NFA) warehouses in Region II.
“This initiative reflects the Marcos administration’s commitment to improving post-harvest systems, minimizing grain losses, and ensuring Filipino rice farmers receive fair value for their palay through more efficient procurement by the NFA,” said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., who also chairs the NFA Council.
While the upgrades did not increase storage capacity, they significantly improved safety, structural integrity, and operational efficiency, maintaining rice quality and extending the shelf life of buffer
In Isabela, rehabilitated warehouses in Burgos, Roxas, and Tumauini can collectively store up to 148,000 50-kilo bags of rice.
In Nueva Vizcaya, facilities in Bagabag and Bayombong can hold 160,620 bags, while warehouses in Alfonso Lista and Lagawe, Ifugao, can accommodate a total of 28,880 bags.
The upgrades include roof replacements, wall reinforcements, improved ventilation systems, reinforced flooring, and enhanced pest control, ensuring more resilient, disaster-ready storage facilities.
“Our upgraded warehouses are now better equipped to protect rice stocks and support swift response during emergencies. We’re also expanding capacity to accommodate more palay from farmers who have long waited in line for NFA to purchase their harvest,” said NFA administrator Larry Lacson.
Region II, one of the country’s top rice-producing areas, was prioritized in the DA’s three-year NFA modernization roadmap to strengthen buffer stocking and streamline procurement logistics.
Local farmers and community leaders welcomed the improvements, especially amid declining palay prices, which have recently dropped to as low as P10 per kilo.
The newly rehabilitated facilities are expected to help reduce post-harvest losses, safeguard farmers’ livelihoods, and strengthen the food supply chain’s resilience.
As of June 13, NFA Isabela holds a buffer stock of 437,585 bags of rice, enough to cover the province’s consumption for 34 days.
Isabela’s average rice yield stands at 5.8 metric tons per hectare, approximately 41 percent higher than the national average.
