ILOILO CITY (PIA) — In preparation for the upcoming La Niña season, the Department of Agriculture- Western Visayas (DA-WV) has intensified its support for clustered farming communities to optimize land preparation and ensure early crop establishment in anticipation of possible adverse weather conditions in the last quarter of the year.
OIC-Chief of the DA-WV Field Operations Division Ester Ruth F. Torreverde recently convened with the cluster leaders and local agricultural offices from select parts of the region, particularly the Dawis Pototan Farmers Association in Iloilo, Duran Talauma Farmers’ Cooperative in Dumalag town, and Dayhagon Farmer Cluster in Sigma, Capiz.
In a statement, the DA-WV advised farmers to plant in June to ensure a harvest window from September to early October, ahead of the typhoon season with a forecast of a moderate La Niña occurrence bringing potential flooding from October to December.
“Our goal is to reduce the land preparation period and establish crops early to minimize risk and secure yields,” Torreverde explained.
She also stressed the need for synchronized planting to maximize resources and output and minimize the occurrence of pests and diseases.
Moreover, DA encouraged farmers to adopt a clustering approach for the wet cropping season, leveraging mechanized transplanting to follow the recommended 15 kilograms per hectare seeding rate using hybrid varieties.
“By tapping into the assistance of private suppliers and utilizing our existing resources, we aim to expedite land preparation, allowing farmers to begin planting immediately,” said Torreverde.
The DA has already started delivering and distributing hybrid seeds allotted for 61,746 hectares in Western Visayas under its Masagana Rice Industry Program.
Farmers enrolled in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA) are also set to receive seeds, a P3,400.00 per hectare Fertilizer Discount Voucher, soil ameliorants, and biofertilizer from the agency. (AAL/AGP/PIA 6)
