FARMERS and hog raisers in Murcia town have received cash incentives and agricultural services aimed at boosting their productivity.

Negros Occidental Governor Eugenio Lacson with local officials headed by Murcia Mayor Gerry Rojas led the distribution of cash incentives to 181 rice farmers from the locality.

The governor explained that the incentives dubbed “Quick Turn Around or Early Planting Incentive Project” provides cash incentives to farmers engaged in early planting from April to May.

This is in support of rice requirements of the province during the off-milling season, particularly during the height of the pandemic.

The qualified farmers received a P2,000 incentive per hectare that they have planted or depending on the area of rice farm they have cultivated during the covered period.

For Murcia, a total of 234 farmers have received a total of P252,720 from the program.

“Murcia is primarily an agricultural area. As such, providing assistance to our farmers, hog raisers and other food producers is a top priority of my administration,” Rojas said.

He added that “Murcia’s financial resources might be limited, but we will always tap other government agencies and instrumentalities in seeking additional assistance for our agriculture sector.”

After the cash distribution at the town’s covered court, Lacson and Rojas along with other officials proceeded to Purok Shell in Barangay Salvacion for the inauguration and turnover of the Swine Artificial Insemination Center.

They also led the inauguration and Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signing of the Abanse Negrense District Animal Health Center at the barangay’s Smile Village.

This is the only animal health center in the province’s Third District.

Murcia Agriculturist Dennis Garzon said the Provincial Veterinary Office (PVO) has turned over a top-breed boar, which will produce the genetically improved material for artificial insemination on top of the cold storage facilities for the material.

The municipal government will also send additional staff to train as artificial inseminators.

A veterinarian from the PVO will man the animal health clinic and accept consultations two days every week.

The center will charge “affordable regulated fees” for its services.

The fees will be divided, 60 percent for Murcia and 40 percent for the province, which will provide the vaccines, antibiotics and other medicines for the animals, Garzon added.

Meanwhile, Lacson and Rojas led the blessing and inauguration of the Barangay Salvacion Farmers and Hog Raisers Association Meatshop, and the distribution to farmers of free-range chicken, veterinary supplies and planting materials for napier and madre de agua, which are used as feedstock for ruminants. (PR)