Butuan City distributes over 4K sacks of inbred rice seeds
By Mariesh F. Celedeña
BUTUAN CITY (PIA) — More than 4,000 sacks of certified inbred rice seeds have been distributed to farmers in Butuan City through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program, further boosting local efforts to strengthen agricultural productivity.
The City Agriculture and Veterinary Department (CAVD) began distributing the seeds on November 27 in Barangays Lemon and Pigdaulan to local farmers. The number of seed sacks allocated to each farmer was dependent on the size of their rice fields, ensuring fair and needs-based distribution.
Monalisa, a farmer-beneficiary from Barangay Tagabaca, expressed her gratitude for the continued assistance. “This cropping season, I received four sacks of seeds, and previously, I was also given ammonium fertilizer. These farm inputs are a big help to us, especially now that the prices of agricultural supplies are increasing. It greatly lessens our expenses.”
She was hopeful that more farm inputs would be provided to support the farmers and help them recover from the effects of the recent flooding in the city.
Butuan City Mayor Lawrence Lemuel H. Fortun said that the initiative aims to reduce farmers’ production costs through quality seeds, increase profits, and strengthen city agriculture.
“The city government of Butuan continues to reinforce its commitment to ensuring food security and enhancing farmer competitiveness for a more progressive rice industry. Providing high-quality, pest and disease-resistant seeds remains one of the local government’s key strategies toward achieving this goal.”
RCEF is a government program that distributes high-quality, certified inbred rice seeds to farmers. Inbred rice seeds are known for their resilience against local pests and plant diseases, minimal use of pesticides and insecticides, and boosting the rice plant’s resistance to drought and flooding. (MFC, PIA Caraga, with a report from Butuan City PIO)
