Fertilizers distributed, rationing urged

 ROXAS CITY, Philippines  — A total of 6,827 bags of fertilizers from the Agriculture Department is being distributed by the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to various local government units in Capiz, following the DA’s rice ratooning project.

Ratooning is a technique where the rice stubbles, after the main harvest, are allowed to produce new growth that will bear new panicles that would be harvestable in just 45 to 60 days later.

OPA-Capiz information officer Teddy Buenvenida said this is an inexpensive way of producing a second harvest of rice from the same plants because there’s no need to plow the land, no need to plant new seedlings and only one sack of fertilizer is applied per hectare.

Buenvenida said ratooning will give additional yield to farmers at lesser cost because rice crop will be less susceptible to pests, diseases and inclement weather due to a very short growing period until harvest.

Governor Victor Tanco Sr said President Benigno Aquino III, in his first presidential visit to the province last year, committed to the Capiceños this fertilizer project, adding that Jamindan town has the highest fertilizer allocation of 947 bags. (FREEMAN)