AFFORDABLE RICE. At least 1,000 bags of 10-kilogram packed rice, repacked and priced at PHP29 per kilo, are available at the National Irrigation Administration in Davao Region on Friday (Sept. 13, 2024). The grand launch of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka Rice program prioritized the vulnerable sectors in Davao City. (PNA photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.)
DAVAO CITY – Rice priced at PHP29 per kilo was sold at the National Irrigation Administration in the Davao Region (NIA-11) during the grand launch of the "Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka Rice" initiative on Friday.
Rodel Maceda, NIA-11 senior irrigator’s development officer and contract farming focal (Institutional Side) person, said the rice was sourced from the harvests of irrigators' associations (IAs) in Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, and Davao del Norte under the government contract farming program.
“In Davao Oriental, we harvested six hectares out of 41 hectares under contract farming. In Davao del Norte, we reaped three hectares out of 32, and in Davao de Oro, 1.35 hectares were harvested out of a total of 97.57 hectares,” Maceda said in an interview.
He added that Davao del Sur is set to begin its harvest next week, noting that the current supply represents only a fraction of what’s expected in the coming days.
According to NIA-11, around 525 hectares are included in the contract farming program.
The contract farming initiative aims to support farmers who use NIA’s irrigation systems by providing them with PHP50,000 worth of farm inputs, such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, soil ameliorants, and bio-fertilizers.
“The program’s target is to produce up to five metric tons (MT) of rice per hectare. If the farmers meet this target, an additional PHP50,000 will be provided as compensation,” Maceda explained.
Delia Alagos, a senior citizen from Barangay 19-B, expressed her gratitude for the opportunity to buy rice at a lower price.
"It helps a lot because rice at the market costs PHP60 per kilo. With rice sold at PHP29 per kilo here, I can still buy other necessities," she said. (PNA)
