The Department of Agriculture (DA) must boost monitoring in order to inhibit the manipulation of farm gate prices this harvest season, said a lawmaker.

In a report by RH 12 Milky Rigonan, Quezon Rep. Mark Enverga, who chairs the House of Representatives’ Committee on Agriculture and Food and is co-chair of the Murang Pagkain Supercommittee, appealed to the DA amid concerns over exploitative traders driving down farm gate prices on rice.

According to Enverga, the DA must ensure that farmers earn fair profits, while keeping prices affordable for consumers. He noted that in past harvest seasons, particularly from September to October, farmers were forced to sell their rice for as low as ₱14 to ₱18 per kilo, well below sustainable levels.

The congressman recommended that the National Food Authority (NFA) procure 20 percent of harvested rice to maintain fair pricing. The more the agency purchases, the harder it will be for traders to manipulate prices; such competition in acquiring crops helps protect farmers’ interests, he said.