Dumalag holds 2nd Harvest Festival
The municipality of Dumalag in Capiz conducted its 2nd Harvest Festival in Brgy. Duran recently to acknowledge farmers who harvested more than nine tons of palay by planting hybrid rice varieties, the Department of Agriculture 6 said.
Mayor Lilia Castro welcomed the farmers and visitors, and other government officials who witnessed the celebration.
Manuel Olanday, regional rice program coordinator of DA 6, who represented Regional Director Larry Nacionales, briefed the farmers on the different DA programs that provide subsidies to farmers.
He also said that sharing of experiences among farmers is a good practice.
Dumalag is among the top rice-producing towns in Capiz. It has a total rice area of 3,779.5 hectares. Out of these, 506 hectares are in Brgy. Duran alone.
Only 96 hectares are irrigated and the rest are rainfed and only 75 hectares are planted to hybrid rice varieties, Ronelyn De Torres, municipal agricultural officer, said.
The farmers found inspiration in testimony of Pablita Ledesma, who was able to harvest 190 cavans or 9.5 tons per hectare using 20 kilos of seeds of hybrid variety per hectare.
They hope that next year, they can also harvest the same or more using hybrid varieties they will plant in the next cropping season, the DA 6 said.*
