The increasing demand for quality seeds necessitates encouraging more farmers to be accredited seed growers.
PRODUCING quality rice seeds is vital in helping farmers achieve farm security.
It requires appropriate technology partnered with skills and dedication in the field.
This was achieved by Dewy Tabelon, a rice farmer for the past 20 years and an aspiring seed grower from Butuan City.
He believes that he has a lot to learn but through the right information and technical assistance, this will be his guide for a new agriculture enterprise.
Tabelon’s story was shared during a four-day training organized for the 15 seed grower aspirants in Butuan City conducted by the City Agriculture Office (CAO) of Butuan in partnership with the Department of Agriculture (DA)- Caraga, DA- Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI),and DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute-Agusan on August 17 to 20.
DA-Caraga Regional Seed Coordinator Noli Orog recognized the efforts of the CAO to initiate capability building to engage rice farmers in quality seed production.
“Seed growers play a key role in meeting seed demand and contribute to seed supply improvement through high volume production of certified seeds. The DA aims to have acontinuous and reliable supply of high-quality inbred rice seeds for positive long-term impacts on seed security and farm productivity,” said Orog.
Based on the Local Government Unit data in 2020, the Caraga Region has a total of 113,504 hectares planted with certified seeds.
The increasing demand for quality seeds necessitates encouraging more farmers to be accredited seed growers.
The region has 239 seed growers who are with the DA-BPI National Seed Quality Control Services (NSQCS) constant monitoring and overseeing protocols and guidelines for seed production are followed.
According to Orog, seed producers have a higher chance of having a more profitable rice farming because the buying and selling prices of inbred rice seeds are higher than dry palay (paddy rice).
The price per kilogram of certified seeds is P38 while buying prices of dry palay only cost at P18 - P19.
Through the years, accredited seed growers have been effective partners in achieving the goals of the Department specifically in procurement and distribution of seeds as government support to food production.
Tags: #agriculture, #seedgrowing, #Caraga, #DepartmentOfAgriculture