Free hybrid, inbred rice seeds ready for 2nd cropping

Even though that the rice standings in the province of Bohol are in the dough and ripening to maturing stages, the
seeds for the Advanced Rice Technology (ART) 160 (hybrid rice) and ART 120 (inbred rice)  programs are now
ready for the cropping season next month.
Gertrudes Fuentes, Head – Crops and Productivity Division – Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) and
Lorebien Lagapa, Provincial Rice Coordinator bared that the Department of Agriculture (DA) under its Rice
Resiliency Project (RRP) has allocated hybrid seeds good for 21,500 hectares (has.) of irrigated areas and PhilRice
under its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program (RCEP) has allocated inbred seeds to be planted for 18,500
has..
According to Fuentes and Lagapa that aside from the hybrid and inbred rice seeds allocation, the DA and PhilRice
are likewise provided the fertilizer subsidy of which for every buy of two bags of Muriate of Potash Fertilizer the
farmer would be given three bags of Urea Fertilizer for hybrid rice and for every buy of two bags of Muriate of
Potash Fertilizer the farmer would be given also two bags of Urea Fertilizer for inbred rice.
The farmers would only present the receipts as proof that they could buy the fertilizer for them to avail the
fertilizer subsidy.
They said that the farmers need not worry regarding the rice seeds in the next cropping seasons because the
allocation of the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh), DA and PhilRice would increase next year.
During the Rice Technicians Coordination Meeting last Wednesday and Thursday at the 3rd Floor, Capitol
Building and at the Bohol Agricultural Promotion Center (BAPC) Dormitory Hall, Dao, Tagbilaran City
respectively, Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas and Roman Dabalos, Head-Provincial
Agricultural Technology Coordinating Office (PATCO) stressed the strong determination of the PGBh with the
collaboration of DA and PhilRice to boost rice production in the province of Bohol to retain its title as “Rice
Basket” in Central Visayas.
They underscored the importance of the Municipal Agriculturists/ Municipal Agricultural Officers (MAs/MAOs),
rice technicians and local officials as frontliners in agriculture in guiding and giving technical assistance to the
Boholano farmers.
Cecile Opada, DA-Regional Focal Person on rice program presented the updates on the rice programs in the
region amidst the COVID-19 pandemic of which Bohol has given the big allocation.
Dr. Pamugas bared that Bohol has 47,378 has. of potential rice areas and through the ART 160 and ART 120,
Governor Art C. Yap has a high hope that rice production here would be boosted.
Gov. Yap has strongly urged the Boholano farmers to plant hybrid rice on their tilled irrigated areas because it
produces high yield that would reach up to 160 sacks per has. and also to plant inbred rice for areas who have
reliable sources of water and rainfed which also shows good yield performance. (Atoy Cosap)

PREPARING THE RICE SECOND CROPPING. Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas
(2 nd from right) and Roman Dabalos (extreme right), Head-Provincial Agricultural Coordinating Office
(PATCO) have setting the tone for the next rice cropping season by October through assuring the Boholano
farmers for free hybrid and inbred rice seeds and fertilizers subsidy during the Rice Technicians
Coordinating meeting last Wednesday at the 3 rd Floor, New Capitol Building, New Capitol Site, Cogon,
Tagbilaran City.