RICE PRODUCTION. Some bags of hybrid rice seeds provided by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in this undated photo. The agency has prepositioned at least 80 percent of rice seeds and fertilizers for farmers ahead of rainy days in the second half of the year. (Photo courtesy of DA Eastern Visayas)
TACLOBAN CITY – The Department of Agriculture (DA) has prepositioned at least 80 percent of rice seeds and fertilizers for farmers ahead of rainy days in the second half of the year.
DA-8 (Eastern Visayas) Regional Executive Director Andrew Orais said seeds up for distribution are now ready for pick up from merchants accredited by their office in various parts of the region.
For the May to October 2024 cropping season, the DA is targeting to distribute 27,910 bags of high yielding hybrid rice seeds and 43,920 bags of fertilizer.
"Everything is in place for this cropping season, especially for rice. Majority of our farmers have received vouchers. It's up to them when to claim the seeds and fertilizers," Orais told the Philippine News Agency.
In preparation for the heavy rains due to the arrival of the La Niña phenomenon, the DA main office has directed its field offices across the country to prepare for adverse effects of heavy downpour, which it said, is expected to cause greater agricultural damage than the El Niño.
Rodel Macapañas, DA-8 regional field operations division chief, said DA warehouses across the region have buffer stocks for distribution in case planted seeds will be destroyed by floods.
"Since we are adjusting our cropping schedule, many of our farmers will be able to harvest their produce before the height of calamities by the end of the year," Macapañas said.
DA officials said the region is not among the high risk areas for La Niña, but some provinces will experience above normal rainfall.
Eastern Visayas, composed of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Biliran, Samar, Northern Samar, and Eastern Samar provinces, is eyeing a 887,239-metric ton (MT) rice yield this year, up from the 884,372 MT estimated harvest in 2023. (PNA)
