Bulacan farmers get vegetable seeds, irrigation pumps

MALOLOS – The Department of Agriculture (DA) turned over recently P500,000 worth of vegetable seeds and 20 units of irrigation pumps to 10 farmer groups in Bulacan in time for its off-season vegetable production for the wet season.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, during his visit to Baswit, San Ildefonso together with Bulacan Vice Governor Rely Plamenco and members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, handed over the National Government’s seeds donations and farm equipment to some 300 farmers.

The 10 farmer group beneficiaries are Bulacan IVPP Farmers Association in the town of Bulacan; Sulivan Vegetable Growers Association, Baliuag; Lagundi Rueda Vegetable Growers Association, Plaridel; Loma de Gato IVPP Farmers Association, Marilao; Palle Vegetable Growers Association, Norzagaray; Basuit Farmers MPC, San Ildefonso; Maronquillo IVPP Farmers Association, San Rafael; Camachile IVPP Farmers Association, DRT; Taboc IVPP Farmers Association, Angat; and Salangan IVPP IVPP Farmers Association, San Ildefonso.

Provincial agriculturist Gloria Carrillo said the off-season vegetable production is the core of the province’s high value commercial crops (HVCC) program that started in July 1999.

The Agriculture Office reported that the results of the pilot phase of the HVCC program for the initial 87 farmers adoptors showed an average net return per farmer of P9,412 for a 500-square meter farm lot.

This is a significant increase in income compared with the return of P26,594 for one hectare of irrigated rice farm per cropping and P9,443 income from one-hectare rainfed rice area, Carillo cited.