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Friday, March 29, 2024

Evangelista Tells MAGRO: Speed Up Rice Competitiveness Program

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DAVAO CITY –  Mayor Ernesto Evangelista has ordered the Municipal Agriculture’s Office (MAGRO) over the weekend to speed up the implementation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Program (RCEP) in the municipality to ease the adverse impact of rice imports on local rice farmers.

“I want this program to be implemented the soonest possible time so that our local farmers could really benefit from this and accelerate the growth of the agribusiness,” Evangelista said.

The RCEP provides a P10-billion rice competitiveness enhancement fund (RCEF) as financial aid to farmers. The rice competitiveness program also finances the government’s farm modernization programs to make farmers more competitive, and counter the negative impact of the rice

tariffication law. MAGRO organized a stakeholders forum held at Kalahi Training Center MAGRO Building on October 5 to orient the rice farmers about the requirements and the implementation of RCEP. A total of 55 rice growers from different barangays have attended the RCEP orientation, according to Municipal Agriculturist Elmer Degorio. Degorio said RCEP orientation aims to orient rice growers with the guidelines on how to avail certified inbred seeds from the PhilRice.

“This orientation is very important because we want to have a general and final consensus on how we will allocate and distribute the following inbred seeds to all rice growers who will properly comply with the guidelines of PhilRice,” Degorio said.

Under the DAR’s rice competitiveness program, 3162 certified inbred seeds will be distributed to all eligible rice growers in Santo Tomas town. Degorio has encouraged rice farmers to follow the eligibility criteria or requirements set by PhilRice because it is the agency that will validate the requirements and approve the request for them to avail the benefits. On the other hand, Nelboy Paz, Philippine Rice Research Institute focal, explained the purpose of RCEF seed program, saying it would boost the production, availability and access of certified inbred rice seeds in different communities across the country. MIO

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