SENATOR Cynthia Villar encouraged farmers in Negros Occidental to continue the practice of organic farming as a way of accepting new things in the liberalized environment.
Villar, who visited Bago City last weekend, said this after stating that country failed to reach the target in 2016 to produce at least five percent organic agricultural products.
“We only achieved 1.5 percent which is way below than the five percent target,” she added.
Villar said that aside from health reasons, farmers are encouraged to grow organic vegetables and other organic products because of consumer demand and high price in the market.
She said that public awareness on organic products should be increased, adding that failure in and delayed government response are the reasons for failing to meet the organic target last year.
“At least we are continuing our work on organic agriculture,” the senator added.
Moreover, Villar acknowledged the competitive agriculture sector in Negros Occidental.
“The agriculture industry here has proven its resiliency in the face of competition. It is not only in the sugar industry that the island-region is performing very well, accounting for two- thirds of the country’s total output. The island is also in the forefront of organic agriculture,” she added.