Negros solons ask DA to fund SRA lab
BACOLOD CITY -- Members of the House Representatives from Negros Occidental, through a resolution, have called the attention of Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Arthur Yap to allocate funds for the upgrading of the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) laboratory and facilities located in La Granja, La Carlota City.
The resolution was signed by Lacson, Rep. Jules Ledesma IV (Neg. Occ., 1st District), Rep. Alfredo Marañon III (Neg. Occ., 2nd District), Rep. Jeffrey Ferrer (Neg. Occ., 4th District), Rep. Ignacio Arroyo (Neg. Occ., 5th District), and Rep. Genaro Alvarez Jr. (Neg. Occ., 6th District).
Fourth District Congressman Jeffrey Ferrer said they are requesting for an Induction Coupled Plasma machine, together with its attendant equipment.
In their letter, they said the equipment would be a great help for the farmers to fine tune and highly target their fertilizer needs and will result in the immediate savings and enhanced competitiveness of our farmers. Better because it is not only applicable to sugarcane, but also to rice, corn and any other agricultural crop.
The equipment and its accessories will cost about US$135,000 and $180,000 will allow an upgrade on the whole facility.
Ferrer revealed the facilities at La Granja are already obsolete and are slow and cumbersome in giving timely information. They also asked that the fees charged for the testing of soil and leaf samples be rationalized to only include the direct cost of chemicals, labor and electricity, they said. After all, government is providing this, not to make money, but to provide much needed service and information to the farmers.
This is a manifestation, according to Ferrer, that once and for all, Negros leaders are looking forward for the betterment of its constituents with the support of government agencies.