Around 177 rice and corn farmers will benefit from the rice and corn production program in the province of Palawan, through a loan in the provincial government.
Provincial Agriculture officer-in-charge Dr. Romy Cabungcal said they have already identified the beneficiaries of the program composed of 130 rice farmers, and 47 corn farmers.
Cabungcal said they will soon start following the cropping season.
“Nakapagbigay na kami ng request and we have already identified ‘yong mga farmer-beneficiaries from the southern and northern parts of Palawan, composed of rice and corn producers,” Cabungcal said.
Under the program, rice and corn seeds will be distributed to qualified farmers through a loan offer from the provincial government.
The total amount of the seedlings will be paid without interest, Cabungcal said. The seeds will come from the Department of Agriculture (DA).
“Babayaran lang nila ‘yon kapag nakapag-ani na sila. We will be complementing the project of the Department of Agriculture. Nakipag-usap na ako sa DA na ipo-provide nila ang mga seeds,” he said.
In 2018, the provincial government also launched the Productivity Rice Enhancement Development (PRED) in a bid to promote the commercialization of hybrid rice and meet Palawan’s rice sufficiency.
The farmers will able to avail of a maximum of P24,150 each for the purchase of farm inputs such as fertilizers, bags of Mestizo 20 hybrid seeds, and pesticides without interest.
