THE Department of Agriculture (DA) in Western Visayas is backing the push for diversification of the Provincial Government of Negros Occidental as a measure to allay possible adverse effects of sugar liberalization among other challenges hounding the industry.
The diversification is one of the main components of the five-year agriculture development plan crafted during the Negros First Transformative Agriculture Summit at Nature's Village Resort in Talisay Cityon Thursday, January 31.
Under which, the province plans to reduce by 30,000 hectares its total land area of about 189,000 hectares devoted to sugarcane.
It will be diversified into other crops like yellow corn, rice, high-value crops (HVC), and tropical fruits.
DA- Western Visayas Director Remelyn Recoter, who spoke at the activity, said the agency has roles in the implementation of a potential conversion in terms of provision of soft and hard support.
Recoter said soft support includes production support services like seeds, planting materials, training, and research while hard support is irrigation, farm mechanization, farm-to-market roads, and other farm infrastructures.
“These are the areas where we can work on,” she said, adding that it's good that the province has timely and proactive measures, like diversification, if ever the administration pushes for sugar industry liberalization.
Based on the “scenario” presented by former governor Rafael Coscolluela, provincial consultant on investment promotions, export, and trade development, said the biggest area for diversification is intended for yellow corn at 15,000 hectares.
Yellow corn is needed for livestock and poultry sector of the province, Recoter said.
The remaining 15,000 hectares will be equally converted to rice, HVC with integrated poultry and livestock, and tropical fruits or 5,000 hectares for each crop.
Coscoluella said the conversion area of 30,000 hectares is just a target, the provincial government can still be ambitious if there is a potential for other crops.
“Ultimately, the deciding factor is profitability so we will go where there is higher profit,” he said, adding that the major challenge is how to encourage planters and farmers to diversify.
The regional line agency stressed that diversification would not mean “forgetting” the sugar industry, which is considered as the lifeblood of the province.
Recoter said Negros Occidental will still be a sugar-producing province.
Of the P96-billion sugar industry in the country, 55 percent is contributed by Western Visayas mostly by Negros Occidental.
In terms of production, Recoter said the Sugar Regulatory Administration also has programs on increasing the yield despite the reduction of areas devoted to sugarcane.
Based on the presentation, there is only a need to increase the production by 10 metric tons per hectare to recover the possible decline brought by conversion.
“The DA recognizes the need for other income generating projects thus, it is supporting the diversification plan,” she said, adding that “let us do away with monocropping or single commodity.”
As it pushes for its diversification plan, the provincial government is advised to be ready with project proposals if its agriculture infrastructures like irrigation, warehouses, and slaughterhouses, among others.
The Department of Budget and Management (DBM) would require supporting documents like the program of works as well as detailed engineering and design, Recoter said.
Even though there's a budget proposal already, the DBM will not approve it without these supporting documents, she added.