DA-6 now ready with rice seeds for wet cropping seasonILOILO CITY, June 1 (PNA) –- The Department of Agriculture in Western Visayas is now ready to release 5,864 bags of high quality rice seeds for the wet cropping season.
Elmer B. Cabusas, the regional rice program action officer, said that the seeds can be picked up by farmers from four drop off points -- at Western Visayas Integrated Agriculture Research Center (WESVIARC), Jaro, Iloilo for the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz and Guimaras; at Antique Research Outreach Station, Padang, Patnongon for Antique; Makato JICA warehouse for Aklan and PhilRice Murcia for Negros Occidental.
Each bag contains 40 kilogram of high quality seeds.
Cabusas added that farmers who intend to participate on the hybrid technology adoption (HYTA) program of the department will receive one bag of hybrid seeds coupled with two bags fertilizer (one bag Urea and one bag Triple 14) per hectare plus soil ameliorants.
“We have available of 29,100 bags of hybrid seeds and fertilizers also at designated drop-off points for this program in the region,†Cabusas said.
Farmers who were affected by El Niño can also avail of free rice seeds provided their names were on the master list and their area has been inspected and validated.
Meanwhile, DA-6 regional executive director Larry P. Nacionales said that the use of high quality seeds – certified and hybrid -- are important factors to increase yield per hectare.
He said that the certified rice seeds can increase yield from five percent to 20 percent while the use of hybrid seeds can increase around 15 percent to 30 percent.
Nacionales encouraged farmers to plant early, thereby utilizing the farm mechanization facilities given to their respective associations in the past years.
“We can address the farm labor shortage, fast track land preparation and reduce cost if we will use our farm implements,†said Nacionales.
Meanwhile, Engr. Jimmy G. Elidia, Jr. of DA-6 Climate Risk Reduction and Management Unit said that rainy season has finally set in as announced by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. He reminded farmers to be vigilant on the possible occurrence of La Niña in the latter months of the year.
Elidia said that farmers can use submerge and saline tolerant varieties on areas frequently flooded and encroached by saline water respectively.
This way, they can maximize the production of their farmlands and help maintain sufficiency of rice in their region, he said. (PNA)
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