CEBU, Philippines - Cebu City agriculturist Joelito Baclayon is requesting additional tramlines from the Department of Agriculture to help rice farmers in the mountain barangays bring down their harvest into the main thoroughfare.
Baclayon said he has requested DA to construct four more tramlines in Barangays Tagbao, Adlaon, Taptap and Sapang-daku. Through the tramlines, farmers would have an easy way of bringing their harvest from the farm into the road where there is transportation available to bring their products into the market.
According to Bacla-yon, the farmers will only be charged with a minimal fee of P1 per kilo for the use of the facility.
Baclayon said that DA officials have already inspected the area where the additional tramlines are to be constructed.
DA has already spent P3.7 million for the construction of tramlines that are now being used by farmers in Sudlon and Tabunan.
DA is also expected to give two refrigerated containers to the farmers to preserve their products while waiting to be transported to Carbon Market.
The farmers will be charged with a minimal fee for using the storage. Baclayon said the first container is expected to be delivered next month.
Aside from the infrastructure, Baclayon said, the DA is also helping the 96 rice farmers in the mountain barangays of Sudlon, Lusaran, Paril and Cambinucot to secure rice seeds at a very low cost. Baclayon said there are 185 hectares of rice fields in these mountain barangays.
He encouraged the rice farmers to plant hybrid rice instead of the native because it gives more harvest.
Baclayon said that a 40-kilo seed will give at least three tons of yields or double that of the native seeds. (FREEMAN)