Govt recognizes ex-soldier’s high rice yield
A FORMER soldier has been recognized by the government for attaining the highest rice yield of 313 cavans in Region 12 ( Soccsksargen) by using Arize Bigante Plus hybrid rice planted to 1.7 hectares in Barangay Ligaya, General Santos.
Edgar Romupal, 50, leveled up in his production by adopting hybrid rice technology.
The Department of Agriculture (DA)Region 12 held the 2019 Arize Mindanao 10K Project in partnership with Bayer Crop Science to encourage farmers to plant hybrid rice and earn higher. Also, DA-Region 12 generated information on the best crop management practices using the hybrid technology.
“My parents have long been rice farmers. So farming was first in my mind as I was able to save a little after retiring from military service,” said Romupal. He started farming on a 1.7- hectare rice land offered to him as mortg a g e and sourced capital from the military’s benefits program. His entry to the Arize Mindanao 10K recorded a harvest of 204 cavans in one hectare, with 63 kilos per cavan. From 1.7 hectares, his harvest totaled 313 cavans, earning him a revenue of P250,000, more than double the P100,000 from using inbred varieties.
A good development this year is the increase in the farm gate price of palay (unmilled rice) that is reaching close to P20 per kilo. It bounced back from a depressed price of P12 per kilo or less in the previous year, which Romupal and other farmers said was caused by liberalized rice imports.
With a combination of technical assistance from the DA- Region 12 and Bayer Crop Science in the 10K program, Romupal and many farmers enjoyed a yield boost in the last cropping season.
Both institutions deployed field technicians to give enough time and attention to farmers participating in the program, with Bayer implementing a season- long training program through its Bayer Agricademy. This included topics on pest and disease management and recommended irrigation practices.
The 10K program was conducted in the provinces of North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat, targeting 10,000 hectares.
After a successful season, Romupal plans to continue using Arize hybrid rice even if the local government decides to remove it from its seed subsidy program.
Aside from rice, he grows corn and selected vegetables in a separate onehectare farm.