Canlaon City bested 48 municipalities and cities in Central Visayas in rice production while nine out of 496 agricultural extension workers shared the P110-million in prizes given by the National Rice Program of the Department of Agriculture.
Renan Lapinig Ansing of the Department of Agriculture in Siquijor said the awards were given during the third Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers’ Awards held recently at the Resorts World Manila in Pasay City.
Canlaon Mayor Jimmy Clerigo received P1 million worth of project grants.
The awards and prizes were handed out by Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala together with National Rice Program coordinator and acting undersecretary for Field Operations Dante Delima.
According to and Operations Chief of DA 7, Central Visayas has been awarded different categories in the Rice Program for three consecutive years, Ansing said.
Dr. Fabio Enriquez, regional rice program focal person lauded Central Visayas for its being responsive to the call of times to increase yield per hectare.
On palay yield per hectare, a notable increase of 23.4 percent from 2.65 metric tons was recorded from 2010 and 3.27 in 2013. This year’s target is expected to reach the 4.77 metric tons per hectare.
The region’s production in metric tons this year is expected to have an increase of 44 percent based on a target of 501,748 metric tons from last year’s 347,697 metric tons.
Based on Bureau of Agricultural Statistics data of 2013, Central Visayas is only 33.76 percent sufficient on rice while Bohol is 104.11 percent sufficient, Cebu 3.01 percent sufficient, Negros Oriental 37.75 percent sufficient while Siquijor is only 16.43 percent sufficient.
Sufficiency figures show that Central Visayas had a deficit of 66.24 percent last year. Deficit was completed through local importation of rice from the neighboring regions. (PNA/JFP)
