ILOILO City – As the wet cropping season begins, the Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 6 is calling on rice farmers to properly prepare their farmlands and shift to high-quality seeds to maximize yields and recover from the agricultural losses brought by last year’s El Niño and La Niña episodes.
“Now that land preparation has started, it’s very important for farmers to prepare the soil correctly — ensure enough time for plowing and cleaning, achieve proper field leveling, and apply the right water management techniques,” said Ryan Rasgo, chief of DA Region 6’s Field Operations Division.
Rasgo stressed that while most farmers are experienced in rice production, the use of high-quality seeds — particularly hybrid and certified inbred varieties — is essential in increasing productivity.
These seeds, distributed free of charge by DA-6 under the Masagana Rice Industry Development Program in partnership with local government units (LGUs), are being handed out during a series of orientations involving Municipal Agriculture Officers and DA-6 cluster coordinators.
“For hybrid rice, which is the superior seed variety, we expect a minimum yield of six metric tons per hectare, provided the proper technology is followed. For certified seeds, which are also high quality, the target is five metric tons per hectare,” Rasgo told Panay News.
This season, DA-6 estimates around 55,000 hectares in irrigated areas will be planted with hybrid rice, while 200,000 hectares are expected to be planted with inbred or certified seeds.
Western Visayas has a total of 322,000 hectares of rice farmland, including those in Negros Occidental, making it the third top rice-producing region in the country annually.
As of now, about 70% of farmers in the region have already received high-quality seeds, and nearly 90% of the total registered rice farmers are expected to benefit from the program.
The DA-6 is also urging those who have yet to register with the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBA) to do so via their local MAO, especially farmers growing other crops or raising livestock, since registration remains free.
To ensure the seeds are used effectively, DA-6 is also extending technical assistance through orientations, seminars, and regular “techno clinics” at least twice a month. These sessions cover protocols in seed handling, farm management, and input application strategies aimed at achieving maximum yield.
“We’re giving them technical briefings on how to manage the seeds properly and ensure they reach their yield potential. This includes constant coordination with LGU technicians and input support,” Rasgo explained.
The agency is targeting full planting activity by July, one month earlier than last year’s start of wet cropping in August 2024.
For this year’s wet season, DA-6 is projecting an average yield of at least 4.5 metric tons per hectare in areas receiving government interventions and 4 metric tons per hectare in other farmlands.
“We are banking on this wet cropping season to drive up production,” Rasgo said, emphasizing that early and well-managed planting is critical to sustaining the region’s food security in the face of unpredictable climate conditions./PN
