Emphasizing strength in supporting local farmers to attain rice security through buying and eating local products, the Department of Agriculture (DA)-10 kicked off the National Rice Awareness Month, November 11.
“We do not only highlight the marketing and consumption aspect but also the production of local rice, encouraging various stakeholders to support our Filipino farmers,” DA-10 Regional Director Carlene Collado said.
He added that the celebration is in support of the Filipino rice farmers and their efforts in producing the most important staple crop in the country with an aim to urge Filipinos to take pride in local products and support the country’s rice industry.
For her part, DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga shared positive results for the third quarter of the year despite the COVID-19 health crisis saying, “We are on the right track in terms of the implementation of our projects, based on a recent data by PSA, our growth rate is 0.7 percent.”
To further help the farmers, Collado said the department along with the National Food Authority (NFA)-10 is pushing for competitive palay buying price after noting a dip of farmgate prices.
“NFA can absorb 8-10 percent of the region’s palay production, which is equivalent to 560,000-700,000 bags considering the region is producing 7 million bags of palay per production cycle,” the regional director added.
Local government units (LGUs) such as the Provincial Government of Lanao del Norte also take part in extending help to the local farmers through buying their palay at a standard of P1-2 higher than local palay traders’ price.
In Camiguin, Mambajao Municipal Agriculture Office together with Mayor Yñigo Jesus Romualdo held the Rice Organic Technical Demonstration Activity, November 6 at Boloc-Boloc, Poblacion, Mambajao.
The activity, which strictly observed health protocols, aims to equip local rice farmers with the skill on cultivating rice using organic methods and processes targeted to also increase their yields.
In boosting such initiatives of the LGUs, DA-10 provided farm machineries and farm equipment to different farmer cooperatives and associations.
DA-10 also distributed 11,598 bags of hybrid rice seeds to local farmers, and disbursed P76.2 million to 15,240 farmers at P5,000 each for its Rice Farmers Financial Aid, P46.9 million for its Financial Subsidy to Rice Farmers and P62.3 million for the Survival and Recovery Assistance Program for Rice Farmers (SURE Aid Program).
“We will strengthen our partnership in effecting change and sustaining the rice industry that will ensure us for an equitable food for every Fillipino household,” Collado said. (RTP/PIA10)
