DA-6 promotes hybrid rice production
The Department of Agriculture Regional Field Unit 6 (DA-RFU 6) joined “Pioneer PHB71 Hybrid Rice Festival” in San Miguel, Iloilo on August 18, 2009. More than 100 local farmers from the said town participated in the event.
Mr. Manuel Olanday, regional GMA rice coordinator, cited on his speech the three critical factors that could help our local farmers increase their rice production. First is the irrigation system, followed by the seeds to be used whether it’s hybrid or certified, and the support of members of the DA family to educate local farmers of the new farming technologies. These factors, he said, are needed to heighten the yield of our farmers.
Iloilo ranked third among the provinces with high production of rice in the region. Due to the problems on irrigation and impact on climatic change, the yield for this season was low. Olanday said that strong winds from the months of November to March contributed to this problem. It was advised that in situations like these, farmers should learn to adjust their planting season and adopt new farming technologies.
Dr. Ildefonso Toledo, provincial agriculturist of the province of Iloilo was one of the speakers. He addressed our farmers as “local heroes” because of their contribution to agriculture. He said that even the rich people depend on our farmers’ production for their food. The labor of our farmers is the vital groundwork for every agricultural undertaking.
In line with the DA’s thrust in improving rice production all over the region, Pioneer introduced their latest PHB71 hybrid rice to the farmers. Mr. Carlo Salapantan, a practicing farmer, was the first one that took advantage of this hybrid rice seeds in San Miguel and his farm had been used as a technological demonstration (techno-demo) farm in order to showcase to other practicing farmers in the said town the benefits of using PHB71 hybrid rice. (GLP/DA-RFU 6)