SAN JOSE, Antique – The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist is now distributing 225 bags of registered seeds under the government’s Seed Exchange program.
OPA senior agriculturist Ramona Dela Vega said the Seed Exchange program is intended for farmers trained by the Department of Agriculture Region 6.
“We are in the process of distributing the registered seeds to the farmers in 12 municipalities who have been trained to plant registered seeds,” Dela Vega said.
A total of 276 farmers in Antique were already trained for the program. They came from the towns of Pandan, Hamtic, San Jose, Tibiao, Sibalom, Bugasong, Laua-an, Barbaza, San Remigio, Patnongon, Culasi, and Sebaste.
They are expected to plant the seeds for this first cropping period.
“Under the Seed Exchange program, the trained farmers through their farmers’ associations will make available to other farmers their produce,” Dela Vega said.
It depends on the farmers’ associations if they would sell their produce or give them to other farmers for free, added Dela Vega.
“The only purpose of the Seed Exchange is to make the registered seeds available to other farmers,” she said. “For the trained farmers who have not yet availed [themselves] of the registered seeds, they are being advised to coordinate with their Municipal Agriculture Officers.”
Dela Vega added that the 225 bags of the registered seeds could be planted in 225 hectares of farmlands.
“Registered seeds” are spawned from foundation seeds of various crops which are pure seed stock grown by or under the supervision of a public agency. (With PNA/PN)
