THE Department of Agriculture (DA) Cordillera awarded boxes of assorted vegetable seeds to Benguet for distribution to the farmers under its agriculture rehabilitation assistance program.
These seeds were received by Benguet Governor Nestor B. Fongwan, together with Benguet Provincial Agriculturist Lolita Bentres and Benguet Planning Officer Delinia Juan.
DA Assistant Regional Director Doctor Josephine K. Aben and High Value Commercial Crops (HVCC) Regional Coordinator Ruben Dulagan said the vegetable seeds are worth P573,080 to be distributed to municipalities of Sablan, Tuba and Itogon (squash and eggplant seeds); Mankayan (Chinese cabbage and carrots); Kabayan (tomatoes); Kapangan (sweet pepper); and Atok (cabbage).
The rest of the seeds will be given to the farmers of other municipalities.
Aben told Fongwan that this is just an initial delivery because there will be more supplies to be delivered on February.
Aside from vegetable seeds, Aben said spring development projects, water tanks and other irrigation projects will be given to Benguet to help solve farmers' water problems in their fields.
"Construction of small water impounding systems is underway, including greenhouses," Aben told Fongwan.
Meanwhile, Bentres told the DA that farmers encountered problems in potato cropping due to shortage.
The agri-rehab assistance seed distribution is also conducted in other Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) provinces namely: Abra, Apayao, Ifugao, Kalinga and Mountain Province. (Alice Tabuno)