Bacolod City – Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel has ordered the Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) to find means to expand the services and benefits from the Sugarcane Industry Development Act of 2015, to include fuel subsidy, liming, fertilization programs, irrigation, and farm mechanization initiatives.
Under the proposed P6.3 trillion budget of the national government for 2025, a budget of P1 billion has been allocated for the implementation of SIDA programs, although solons from Negros are pushing for its increase to P2 billion, which is mandated by the law.
In his speech at the PHILSUTECH 70th Annual National Convention held in Cebu City, which was read by Sugar Regulatory Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona, Laurel also directed SRA to establish a new breeding program and consider acquiring new high yielding varieties of sugarcane from other sugar producing countries, to refresh old and deteriorating varieties, and boost the country’s productivity enhancement programs.
This year’s theme of the PHILSUTECH (Philippine Sugar Technologists Association) convention is “Boosting Technology Innovations to Advance Competitiveness of the Philippine Sugar Industry.”
“Our big challenge is to make farming profitable and the solution lies in embracing technology-based farming methods to optimize resource efficiency and lower costs of farm inputs,” said Laurel, in his speech.
The speech stressed the importance of focusing on comprehensive training of farmers in modern farming techniques and new emerging technologies.
Through active private support, the sugarcane industry has already invested in its own automatic weather stations, drought indicator and monitoring systems using soil moisture sensors, satellite imaging crop estimations system, solar irrigation and mechanization of planting and harvesting processes, Laurel said.
We firmly believe that technology and innovation will propel the agriculture sector towards enhanced productivity, profitability and global competitiveness, the Agriculture secretary further said.
On the other hand, Romie Cortez of Sagay Central Inc. was chosen as the Don Carlos L. Locsin awardee for 2024, in recognition for his exemplary contribution to the sugar industry. (Gilbert Bayoran via tvds)