CERTIFIED SEEDS. Farmers in Patnongon, Antique, receive certified seeds for the wet season in this undated photo. Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) chief Nicolasito Calawag said in an interview Thursday (June 13, 2024) that the Philippine Rice Research Institute allocated Antique with rice seeds equivalent to 76 percent of the requirement in the province so farmers are encouraged to save portions of their harvest as “homegrown” certified seeds. (Photo courtesy of the Antique Office of the Provincial Agriculturist)
SAN JOSE DE BUENAVISTA, Antique – Antique farmers who received certified seeds from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) are encouraged to save portions of their harvest they can utilize as “homegrown” certified seeds.
Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) chief Nicolasito Calawag said on Thursday that PhilRice allocated 64,150 bags of certified seeds, equivalent to 76 percent of the total requirement of the province for the wet season.
“If farmers could set aside a portion of their harvest, then they could be sure that they would have something to use for planting by the next cropping period,” he said in an interview.
The province needs 84,309 bags for its 42,154.34 hectares of physical rice area.
Calawag said out of the allocation, they distributed 35,719 bags to 6,932 farmers in 17 municipalities as of June 7, while they are yet to deliver to farmers in the municipality of Anini-y.
He added 3,935 hectares of rice land have been planted for the wet season.
A hectare of certified seeds could produce six to eight tons of rice in irrigated areas and about two tons per hectare in rain-fed areas.
Calawag said farmers will need their homegrown seeds since rice planting continuous in Antique.
Certified seeds take about 85 to 90 days from planting until harvest. (PNA)
