Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Agri agency Program serves 102 farmers
By James Earl E. Ogatis
A TOTAL of 102 farmers were served by the High Value Commercial Crops (HVCC) program of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas.
Based on the first semester accomplishment report for this year 2006, 28 farmers were given on Saba Banana suckers, 20 farmers received tissue culture lakatan plantlets, nine farmers received coffee seeds, 15 farmers received mango seedlings, 30 farmers received cut flower planting materials such as vandas, dendrubiums and ornamentals.
The HVCC program has produced and distributed 2,626 tissue-cultured lakatan banana plantlets, which are disease-free from January to June this year.
These materials were produced in the tissue culture laboratory at Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (Wesviarc).
This has served 20 lakatan banana farmers while 28 banana farmers availed 1,036 banana suckers from Wesviarc, RIARC -- Sta. Barbara and RIARC-Sigma, Cadiz.
A total of 300 kgs. of coffee seeds was purchased from Nestle Philippines and was distributed to the six provinces of the region in order to cater the needs of coffee farmers. The province of Iloilo received 100 kgs., Antique -- 30 kgs., Capiz -- 20 kgs, and the provinces of Guimaras, Aklan and Negros Occidental have received 50 kgs each.
According to Sofronio A. Parohinog, Regional Technical Director for Operations of DA-RFU 6 and at the same time Regional HVCC Coordinator, the national HVCC coordinator has approved the request for appropriations of three units coffee dehuller, which will be distributed upon receipt to the provinces of Iloilo and Negros Occidental.
"This is in support to the coffee project of High Value Commercial Crops Program (HVCCP) so that we can enhance the post harvest facilities on coffee production," he said.
One component of the HVCC program is the development and distribution of Information, Education and Communication (IEC) materials. From January to June of this year, the HVCC program has developed/distributed 850 copies of Tomato, Eggplant and Bitter Gourd (Ampalaya) flyers, 150 copies flyers on water melon, mango, and cassava; 110 copies flyers on sweet pepper, 180 copies flyers on banana; 22 copies flyers on squash and 50 copies flyers on bottle gourd (Upo).
On mango, the program has produced 883 seedlings on the first semester of this year wherein 500 seedlings were distributed to fifteen mango growers. While on the cut flower, the program has produced 53 pieces planting materials of dendrobium, 23 pieces of vandas and 300 pieces of ornamental plants. It serves 30 cut flower growers in the region.
The Regional Integrated Agriculture Research Center (RIARC) in Sta. Barbara, Iloilo has produced 153.25 dozens of heliconia, and 80 dozens of anthurium. This has served 67 dealers and sellers of heliconia and 58 dealers and sellers of anthurium in the region.
The program has also conducted a two-day capability Enhancement seminar for HVCC component leaders last April 6 and 7 at Aklan State University. It was attended by different commodity leaders such as on mango, coffee, banana, cut flowers and vegetables together with HVCC coordinators, report officers, and APCOs from the provinces of Iloilo, Capiz, Aklan, Guimaras and Antique.
The HVCC program is composed of five commodities namely mango, coffee, banana, cut flowers and vegetables.
(July 26, 2006 issue)
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