RESEARCH CENTER. Engr. Cecilio Clarete, chief of Economic Development Specialist of NEDA brief members of the media during the launching of the Regional Socio-Economic Analysis and Research Center on Wednesday at Neda regional office-10. Photo By Lito Rulona
- Advertisement -

By LITO RULONA,
Correspondent

At least three provinces in Northern Mindanao in the third quarter seen to have increases it’s palay production by 15.6 percent after it was suffered low production during the previous quarter due to the effect of El Niño.

- Advertisement -

This was the claimed by Engr. Cecilio Y. Clarete, National Economic Development Authority – 10 (Neda-10), Chief Economic Development Specialist (CEDS) assigned at Development Research Division made this disclosure during the 3rd quarter Regional Economic Situationer media briefing on Wednesday.

Clarete said Palay production this quarter grew by 15.6 percent to 215.201 metric tons as Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte and Misamis Oriental posted increases by 21.9, 19.9 and 7.8 percent respectively.

He said record submitted by the Department of Agriculture-10 claimed that Lanao del Norte posted a 33.4 percent increases in production in irrigated areas due to adequate irrigation services (including the rehabilitation of irrigation canals in Lala and Maigo), rationing after each cropping season, seed assistance from local government units and the usage of high yielding varieties.

“Bukidnon’s improved yield in both irrigated and rain fed areas was attributed to the use of hybrid and certified seeds and the fertilizer subsidy from the Department of Agriculture and the LGUs.

Small palay farmers also benefited from the Sikat Saka Program, a direct credit window from Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) with support from DA,” he said.

He claimed that Misamis Occidental experienced rotation of irrigation water supply in Plaridel causing a decline in the province’s production output. Decreased yield was also experienced during the quarter due to insufficient rainfall.

“The average yield reached 4.9 metric tons per hectare up by 4.1 percent from the previous year’s level. Yield per hectare in irrigated and rain fed areas also increases by two and five percent, respectively,” he added.

Clarete claimed that the 16 percent increase in palay production coupled with the 4.1 percent increases in the average farm gate price to P19.51 per kilo, pushed the value of palay to P4.199 billion. This is more than 20 percent than the previous year’s level in value production.

“Rice sufficiency level during the third quarter of this year reached to 93.9 percent, which was 11.0 percentage points higher than that of the same period of last year. The region’s rice inventory as of

October 1, 2016 went up by 7.3 percent reaching 2,019,101 bags. Stocks were estimated to last for 74 days based on the region’s based on the region’s daily rice production requirement of around 27,340 bags,” he said.

The region’s total corn production during the third quarter reached to 498,991 metric tons an increase by 7.5 percent, as Bukidnon, the largest corn producer in the region, posted a 173.9 percent increase in white corn production.

The increase of white corn production in Bukidnon was mostly due to 101 percent increase in harvested areas and the use of hybrid and modern open pollinated variety (OPV) cord seeds subsidized by the DA and LGU.

Disclaimer

Mindanao Gold Star Daily holds the copyrights of all articles and photos in perpetuity. Any unauthorized reproduction in any platform, electronic and hardcopy, shall be liable for copyright infringement under the Intellectual Property Rights Law of the Philippines.

- Advertisement -