Rice seed deliveries hit 1-M bags

WITH Agriculture playing significant role in the country’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF)-Seed Program announced that more than 1 million bags of certified inbred rice seeds were already delivered to rice-producing cities and municipalities.

The seed deliveries, according to Flordeliza H. Bordey, deputy executive director of the Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice), is almost half of its seed distribution target this planting season.

“We have delivered 1,128,368 bags and with help from Local Government Units, we have distributed 439,545 bags to more than 113,000 farmers,” Bordey said.

Reaching 64 percent of its target municipalities in two months, Bordey said the seeds were delivered to 51 provinces, which would be planted in about 126,000 hectares (ha.).

“This milestone is truly remarkable as it was achieved despite the difficulties in logistics and transportation, quarantine rules constraining staff mobility, and banning of mass gathering in light of Covid threat,” she said.

Bordey said the provincial governors and city/ municipal mayors through agriculture officers led the seed distribution amidst community quarantine.

“They helped us in continuing the momentum and in achieving this program’s milestone,” she said.

The PhilRice economist also further mentioned that seeds were given to farmers through barangay scheduling and that physical distancing was strictly observed.