2004 rice production target is still achievable, says Yap

Budgetary constraints notwithstanding, the country’s revised rice production target of 14.2 million metric tons (MT) could still be achieved and even reach 14.4 million MT, the Department of Agriculture said yesterday.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap said the DA will intensify its Hybrid Rice Commercialization Program through the "Tipid Abono, Bawas Gastos, Saganang Ani" fertilization program.

"This year’s projected yield is almost one million tons higher than last year’s 13.5 million tons. However, the sector is challenged by weather abnormalities and the increasing price of fertilizers and we are confident this program should at least bring us closer to our original target," said Yap.

Previously, the DA for the first time, revised its rice production targets. The revised target is 640,000-840,000 MT lower than the original production target of 14.9 million MT.

In 2003, rice production totaled 13,49 million MT.

The hybrid rice program, also known as GMA (Ginintuang Masaganang Ani) program which aims to increase rice production and yield through the use of certified and hybrid rice seeds, is experiencing problems due to lack of funds.

Out of the P550 million allocated for the rice program this year, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has only released P181 million. The balance of P369 million is supposed to be paid to local hybrid rice seed growers contracted by the Philippine Rice Research Institute (Philrice) to supply the high-yielding hybrid rice seeds that will be distributed to farmers at the subsidized rate of P1,200 per 20-kilogram bag.

The DA hopes to solve this problem through the Tipid Abono program aims to reduce the cost of production despite the increase in fossil fuel-based fertilizers.

It also guides farmers on the proper mix of fertilizers for hybrid and certified rice seeds, including the timely selection of the most appropriate soil type and amount of fertilizer grades.

Through the program, only three to four bags of chemical fertilizers are recommended per hectare compared to current practice of six to nine bags per hectare mixed with five bags of organic fertilizers.

It cuts production costs of rice and corn by P2,200 to P4,130 per hectare or an aggregate savings of P1.1 billion to P2.27 billion if the entire 500,000 hectares covered by the GMA-Rice program are considered.

Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) director Rogelio Concepcion said the program will aid farmers in choosing the right type of fertilizers to be used from a list that will be given by the BSWM.

The Tipid Abono program, which is a reformulated balanced fertilization strategy, will ensure optimum crop yields and better income without causing decline in soil fertility.

Aside from reduced fertilizer recommendations and proper timing of application, farmers will also save on production costs through the use of technologies such as the Leaf Color Chart (LCC) developed by PhilRice and the Soil Testing Kits (STK) of the BSWM.

LCC is a tool used to periodically monitor the plants‚ condition and determine the specific time to apply the urea or ammo-sulfate fertilizers while the STK is used for the quick determination of pH, nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium.