Sunday, December 21, 2008 Poor farmers priority in fertilizer subsidy
TABUK, Kalinga -- In line with government's flagship agenda for the poor, the province is giving priority to low-income farmers in its organic fertilizer subsidy program.
Provincial Agriculturist Gerry Jose said priority is given to poor farmers, who need more assistance under the programs of the Department of Agriculture (DA) without prejudice to other industry stakeholders.
The province will start distributing to farmers as soon as the stock arrives from suppliers, this month, just timely that planting has started to most farmers here, Jose said.
Starting on the November 2008-April 2009 rice cropping, the province will subsidize organic fertilizer to rice farmers and has purchased 15,000 bags.
Earlier, Governor Flydelia Diasen announced the allocation of P4 million for the project, derived from the province's share on its Internal Revenue Allotment.
Jose said as safeguard in the distribution, names of farmer-beneficiaries would be cross-checked with the authenticated master list of farmers being filed at his office, to avoid erroneous experiences.
The rate of distribution will be three bags per hectare, with the farmer to provide for the other three bags to meet the six-bag organic input requirement per hectare.
Jose said his office has tapped the cooperation of barangay captains who take important role in the validation of the farmers' master list.
The barangay captain is among the signatories in the master list, being the most reliable reference of the names listed in his area, he explained. (LP)
