AGRICULTURE

CARMEN, North Cotabato -- Farmers can now bring their produce straight to the market without any delay or difficulty after the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) turned-over infrastructure project amounting to P68.9 million on Thursday.

Engr. Reynaldo Anfone, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II (PARPO), said the project, which includes the rehabilitation of 9.029 kilometer farm-to-market road with bridge covering barangays Cadiis and Macabenban, is a sub-project under the Mindanao Sustainable, Agrarian, and Agriculture Development (MinSAAD) Project.    

NORTH COTABATO - Officials are now trying to address the continuing downswing in prices of palay and marketing constraints due to what is for local farmers “anti-poor” Rice Tarrification Law.

Gov. Nancy Catamco said Sunday the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist has been formulating plans meant to cushion the effects of the low prices now of palay and accruing marketing issues due to the abundance everywhere imported rice.

COTABATO CITY—Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Agrarian Reform (MAFAR) started Oct. 21 the initial mass distribution of the 72 units farming machineries allotted for farmers’ cooperatives in the five provinces of the Bangsamoro region.

BASILAN - The provincial government is encouraging farmers to propagate honeydew melon to hasten their recovery from “cocolisap” infestation that destroyed vast coconut farms in the province.

Basilan Gov. Jim Salliman said Monday they have proven last week, after harvesting honeydew melon in their drip-irrigated demonstration farm in Isabela City, that the crop is suitable to the climate and soil condition in the island province.

COTABATO CITY --- Farmers now feel the brunt of the wanton importation of rice and corn, for them the cause of the continuing downslide in domestic prices of both cereal grains.

Some big firms in Mindanao producing animal feeds and cornstarch have long been importing corn from abroad.

There are corn farmers in Upi and South Upi towns in Maguindanao now thinking of suspending their October-December cropping activities, apprehensive of bigger losses.

COTABATO CITY  – After listening to rice farmers’ dilemma, Cotabato provincial Gov. Nancy Catamco today called on Philippine Congress to review and amend the Rice Trariffication Law (RTL).

With that call, she has become the first local leader who called on Congress to amend the law which farmers clamed was disadvantageous to Filipino rice producers.

Cotabato province is one of the leading rice-producing provinces in Mindanao.

Listenign to farmers, Catamco saw the need to review, and amend the law to favor Filipino farmers instead of foreign rice producers.

KORONADAL CITY – A farm to market road in a remote village in South Cotabato will benefit some 26,000 farmers after the Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian and Agriculture Development (MinSAAD) and Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) turn over a P45.8 million-9.07 kilometer road project on Sept. 24.

In partnership with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Local Government Units, the project that was turned over and ready for use was the last of the 17 Rural Infrastructure sub-projects funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in Barangay Ned, Lake Sebu.

MinDA Tienda Advance Sales!

MANILA - One month before the actual staging of the MinDA Tienda sa Manila, Mindanao's Farmers have already scored a big sales after Manila Mayor Francisco Moreno Domagoso ordered 500-metric tons of Black, Red and Brown Organic Rice for the city's estimated 150,000 senior citizens.

The advance sales of one of Mindanao's popular and iconic agricultural products is estimated to be worth P40-million, a price which Mayor Isko said is worth the health benefits it would give the senior citizens of his city.

A Memorandum of Understanding between the Regional Officials of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) XII and Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) XII, and Marketing Agreements between BJMP Provincial Heads and Agrarian Reform Beneficiary Organizations (ARBOs), covering the provision of crops by said ARBOs to different BJMP correction facilities within Region 12, were signed on September 4, 2020.

KORONADAL CITY - Department of Agrarian Reform in partnership with Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) successfully forged the Marketing Agreement with identified ARBOs under the Enhanced Partnership Against Hunger and Poverty (EPAHP) Program during ceremonies in Koronadal City Friday, Sept. 4.

This program is the improved version of the former PAHP Program between DAR, DA and DSWD which was enhanced because of its notable impact to the lives of the farmers as explained by DAR Secretary Atty. John R. Castriciones, during his message via zoom.