CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – In time for the coming wet season, the city agriculture and veterinary office distributed certified seeds of palay to farmers Wednesday.
The distribution held at the city’s Organic Trading Post in the New Public Market in Barangay Del Pila,formed part of the city’s dual celebration of Pyestang Fernandino and Fernandino Farmers’ Week 2021.
CAVO crop division chief Francisco Cangco said 300 sacks of certified seeds were given to 150 farmers in low-lying barangays as preparation for their wet season cropping. Each sack weighed 40 kilograms.
“Yung beneficiaries natin para sa pamamahagi ng certified seeds ay nakahati sa dalawa – ang para sa dry season at wet season. Ngayon, ang mga magsasaka sa low-lying areas ang binigyan natin na may intensyon na magtanim sa paparating na wet season,” Cangcosaid.
The farmer recipients came from barangays Bulaon, Calulut, Del Carmen, Malpitic, Quebiawan, San Juan, and Sindalan,
Cangco noted that in the agricultural calendar, the wet season originally falls from mid-March to mid-September. But due to climate change, the planting activities for this season will be held from May to June.
Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Amando Fernando, Jr., director of San Fernando’s Sanduguan Farmers’ Association, said the free certified seeds will help the farmers financially.
“Malaking tulong yung libreng binhi na ibinigay ng pamahalaan sa aming mga magsasaka sa pinansyal na aspeto. Sa katotohanan, isa itong malaking bawas sa gastos naming mga magsasaka na kung saan imbes na madala doon ang pera, maidadala pa namin sa ibang pangangailangan,” he enthused.
According to CAVO, a farmer is usually forced to spend more than a thousand pesos for a sack of certified seeds.
The CAVO will undertake another certified seeds distribution in September, this time, for the dry season.
The seed distribution program is part of the agenda of Mayor Edwin “EdSa” Santiago toward the attainment of food security in the city.
