SAN JOSE, Antique – The provincial government of Antique has received 84,000 sacks of certified seeds from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice). The seeds are being distributed among Antiqueño farmers for the first cropping.
According to provincial agriculturist Nicolasito Calawag, almost 50 percent of the seeds were given to farmers who registered through the Registry System for Basic sector in Agriculture (RSBA).
“We are informing the farmers in Antique that through our coordination with PhilRice and the regional field office, the delivery of certified seeds in various towns is ongoing. If you are able to register through the RSBA, then you are a recipient. Just wait for it because the distribution is being done gradually because we are lacking a storage facility,” Calawag said.
Some 40,000 RSBA registered farmers in the province availed themselves of the 84,000 sacks of certified seeds.
They will also receive fertilizers aside from the seeds.
“Through this assistance of the national and provincial government, Antique’s rice sufficiency level for the first quarter reached up to 243 percent,” he stated.
In data of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, the total area harvested was 25,236.59 hectares with a full production of 95,043.54 metric tons as of the first quarter of this year.
Calawag is grateful to the farmers for their efforts to sustain the rice production of the province.
The provincial agriculturist likewise warned them of the new strain of the disease in palays brought by the grain bug.
“Hindi nyo pag gamiton ang binhi nga duro ang mga gapanaw nga ukaw, ukon mga suspected nga grain bug kay maigo gid ang atun nga field ukon farmers,” he said.
The farmers were also urged to inspect the seeds before planting them and report to the OPA should there be cases of grain bugs and black bugs.(PIA/PN)
