WV rice yield seen to offset low prod’n of Luzon farmers
Department of Agriculture Assistant Secretary Salvador Salacup is counting much on the yield of farmers here in Western Visayas to meet the country’s rice production next year after Luzon was hardly hit by two typhoons.
Salacup said it is time for the farmers here to help in the food security program of the government. Luzon will undoubtedly have a low-level of rice production. The damage caused by Typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng on agriculture is so massive, he said.
Iloilo is the third most rice producing region in the country. In 2008, the region’s rice production increased.
Salacup was in the city Wednesday for the turn-over of the 31st Japanese Grant Assistance for the Food Security Project for Underprivileged or 2KR project. The turn-over rite was attended by Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines His Excellency Makoto Katsura and several other Japanese officials.
In the 2KR program, the Philippines is a recipient of 480 million Yen worth of fertilizers. Iloilo and Negros Occidental will receive 6,000 metric tons of fertilizers.
The fertilizers are distributed in 14 provinces in the country. The fertilizers were shipped in four batches to three ports, in Davao, Iloilo and Subic.
Salacup said the Japanese grant is very timely since the Central Luzon and Northern Luzon was visited by a natural occurrence. The set of fertilizers will go a long way in increasing the yield of the farmers, he said.
The future shipment in Subic this month would be distributed to typhoon affected provinces in Northern Luzon, namely, Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Isabela and Cagayan Valley.
