DAVAO CITY – Some 275 tons of rice will be harvested in the hybrid rice cluster demo project for the wet season in Hagonoy town, Davao del Sur, in September this year, the Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11) said Thursday.

Evelyn Basa, DA-11 rice program coordinator, said with an expected yield of a minimum of seven tons per hectare, the project can contribute to the country’s rice production target for 2027.

Basa credited the initiative to the collaboration among DA-11, the Philippine Rice Board, the Davao del Sur provincial government, and the Hagonoy municipality, whose representatives conducted a ceremonial planting at the demo farm in Barangay Sinayawan.

The 35-hectare farm showcases 24 rice varieties and technologies from different seed companies and growers.

“The demo farm will serve as an avenue for farmers to observe and learn various technologies on cultural management practices, mechanical and seeding, and nutrient management such as the ‘Abonong Swak’ recommendation that can help them improve their production,” Basa said in a statement.

She said the expected harvest on the third week of September forms part of the culmination activity of the 16th National Rice Technology Forum (NRTF) from Sept. 18-22, 2023.

Meanwhile, Basa said the ongoing distribution of hybrid rice seeds to the members of Irrigators Associations (IAs) and Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations or FCAs aims to increase the adoption of hybrid rice seeds by up to 40 percent.

This is part of the DA’s strategy, she said, to reach an average hybrid rice yield level of up to six tons per hectare (ton/ha) in the wet season, and up to eight ton/ha in the dry season in target areas by 2028.

Eligible beneficiaries will be provided fuel subsidies, especially those who own or rent agricultural machinery used for crop production such as tractors, transplanters, harvesters, and shredders. (PNA)

Published Date: July 5, 2023