2022 target: 2.48M MT palay production in WV

ILOILO – This 2022, the Department of Agriculture (DA) seeks to attain 2.48 million metric ( MT) tons of palay production in Western Visayas, as it has ongoing procurement of 60,000 bags (15 kilograms per bag) of hybrid seeds intended for farmers in Iloilo and 91,119 bags (40 kilograms per bag) of certified inbred seeds for Iloilo and Guimaras.

“Those who are in the master list of seed recipients will also be provided with P3,000 worth of fertilizer voucher for hybrid seeds and P2,000 for inbred seeds. However, farmers in the four provinces are covered under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund ( RCEF) Seed Program,” said Department of Agriculture ( DA) Western Visayas Rice Program coordinator Elmer Cabusas.

This wet cropping season, the Philippine Rice Research Institute ( PhilRice) targets distributing 298,778 bags (20 kilograms per bag) of certified inbred seeds: 34,550 bags for Aklan; 74,300 bags for Antique; 85,430 bags for Capiz; and 104,498 bags for Negros Occidental.

To optimize t he seed utilization and technology adoption in growing highquality seeds, the DA-PhilRice has put up Palay Sikatan Technology Demonstration Farms in Aklan, Antique, and Capiz.

Recommended cultural management practices i n cultivating national, regional, and newly released inbred seed varieties were showcased to farmers through the help of the local agricultural offices.

“Considering the inevitable increase in the costs of

Western Visayas produced 2,356,902.44 metric tons of palay in 2021, which was 2.67 percent higher than in 2020. However, the 2021 palay production was below the targeted 2,500,851 MT considering the 143,949.37 MT damage in the rice sector brought by Typhoon “Odette” last December 2021.