SAN JOSE, Antique – The Office of the Provincial Agriculture (OPA) in Antique is in the process of distributing 35,000 bags of certified rice seeds as assistance to farmers for the start of the planting season this month.
OPA chief Nicolasito Calawag said in an interview recently the seeds came from the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 6.
“The certified seeds are given for free to the identified farmer-beneficiaries,” said Calawag.
On May 6, farmers from the town of Tobias Fornier were the first to have received the bags of certified seeds.
Each farmer-beneficiary identified by his/her Municipal Agriculture Offices (MAO) will receive two bags of certified seeds – equivalent to 40 kilos. Two bags are enough for a hectare of a rice farm.
Meanwhile, a farmer-beneficiary who purchases a bag of fertilizer from any agriculture store can receive two bags of free fertilizers from the DA-Region 6.
“Farmers could buy the fertilizer from any store. As long as they have a receipt to show, they can avail the free fertilizers,” Calawag said.
OPA will also be distributing hybrid palay seeds to interested farmers soon.
“We are awaiting 11,000 bags of hybrid palay seeds from the DA in the coming days,” said Calawag.
Farmers who would like to avail the hybrid seeds could go to their respective MAOs to be included in the lists.(With a report from PNA/PN)
