The Iloilo Provincial Government is eyeing the national government’s rice hybrid program to maximize production, to be able to export outside of Iloilo, and have a secured buffer.
From the current production of 3.5 metric tons per hectare, the province is targeting to increase to 5.5 metric tons next year through the hybrid program.
In a press conference on Wednesday, Aug. 9, Iloilo Governor Arthur Defensor Jr. said he hoped to again meet the Department of Agriculture (DA) Regional Executive Director (RED) for Western Visayas Dennis Arpia following their recent talks for the details of the planned program.
“That is the first paragraph of our development thrust. We maximize our agricultural production, especially rice,” he said.
To date, the investments of the province in agriculture are through the Provincial Agriculture and Fisheries Extension System (PAFES).
“The PAFES now will have to make a turn because of our prospects (through the hybrid program). Again, we want to be number one, not that we want to compete, but when aiming for number one, surely, we will improve,” Defensor added.
Under the PAFES, 3,000 hectares of the 6,000 hectares targeted for the hybrid rice program were planted this first cropping, said provincial agriculturist Ildefonso Toledo in a separate interview.
Should the standing crop yield around 4 metric tons per hectare, the total production will be around 12,000 metric tons.
The hybrid program with the DA plans to cover 60,000 hectares since it used to allocate 60,000 bags of hybrid rice for the province.
“If the Department of Agriculture will bring back the allocation, hopefully by next year or late this year, we will be able to plant 60,000 hectares,” he added.
The province’s current rice area is about 132,000 hectares. Its rice sufficiency rate is 163 percent.Perla Lena/PNA
