RECOGNIZING the investment potential of rice, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) of Negros Occidental is pushing for value-adding of the commodity to boost the income of local farmers.
Dina Genzola, supervising agriculturist of OPA, told SunStar Bacolod that there are more to the production of rice that will enable farmers to increase their income potential.
Genzola said farmers just have to discover how to utilize the commodity into other products mainly through value-adding.
Among the products that can be produced using raw rice are “sara-sara” and soap, among others.
“There is really an opportunity for investment in rice. From raw rice, they can be able to increase the market price of the product,” Genzola said.
Aside from enterprise opportunity, rice, especially unpolished ones, can be a potential source of nutrients.
OPA initiated a two-day Special Rice Investment Forum at Panaad Park in Bacolod City until Tuesday, April 17.
Through this activity, about 50 participants mostly rice farmers were thought of business opportunities of rice.
Speaking at the forum, Dr. Marissa Romero, chief science research specialist of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), earlier said Negros Occidental is a potential producer and export of specialty rice.
Once fully maximized, it would surely help local farmers to boost income, Romero added.
OPA records showed that the province's rice sufficiency level was 88 percent in 2016 and this increased to 94 percent last year.
Genzola said the province targets to further increase its rice sufficiency rate to at least 98 percent this year.
“So farmers are urged to improve production. But aside from selling raw rice only, we encouraged them to look for other means to boost income like value-adding,” she said.
After the forum, OPA eyes to further capacitate farmers, particularly with enterprising skills like product development, labeling, and packaging.
The province may also help them link their products to potential markets like schools, Genzola added.