Bohol expands hybrid rice program
Aiming to ensure food sufficiency especially in this time of pandemic, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) in the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) has intensified its Advanced Rice Technology (ART) 160 hybrid rice program in the province.
Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas said that through hybridization at the irrigated areas the Boholano farmers could increase production and income.
There are five varieties of hybrid rice planted in the province namely: Pioneer, Mestiso 20, Longping, SL8 and SL20.
Along with this intensified program, Dr.Pamugas said that the farmers have received free seeds, technical and marketing supports from the provincial government.
In the marketing aspect, the farmers have no reason to worry because 10 percent of their yield are bought by the provincial government at P20 per kilo under the palay buy-back program.
The “BugasniDagohoy,” program is first in the history of Bohol’s agriculture that the province has produced, Pamugas added.
Bohol has 23,960.64 hectares (has.) of irrigated areas to be supplied by irrigation water from Malinao Dam in Pilar, Bayongan Dam (San Miguel), Capayas Dam (Ubay), Talibon Dam (Zamora, Talibon).
Governor Art C. Yap earlier said that the PGBh has adopted the hybrid rice program to ensure more production because the farmers could produce almost double their yield compared those who are using good seeds.
Gov. Yap said that the province has already experienced a significant record on this program wherein a farmer fromTalibon town had exceeded the given target of 160 cavans per hectare (ha.) after he yielded 220 cavans.
To complement with this program for food security, the PGBh is also more aggressive for the developments of Advanced Rice Technology (ART) 120 Inbred Rice Program, Advanced Rural Transformation (ART) 100 Corn Technology, Agriculture for Rural Transformation (ART) Nilotika (Tilapia) 1,000, ART Bangus 1,000 and the establishments of fish cages/ponds and more provincial seaweeds nurseries, and for the developments of the high value crops production. (Atoy Cosap)
