Agriculture office aids typhoon-affected farmers in Isabela

The Isabela city agriculture office has already purchased the necessary quantity of rice and corn seeds to be distributed to farmers who were affected by twin typhoons Pedring and Quiel.

City agriculturist Dominador Fernandez said based on the masterlist of the city agriculture office, 6,006 farmers were affected by Pedring and Quiel last month.

Fernandez said there are hybrid and in-breed rice and corn seeds to be distributed and farmers in a 50-50 scheme or the farmers will pay the half-price and the city government for the other half.
On in-breed rice subsidy, farmers are only required to pay P600 per cavan and the other half will be shouldered by the city government.

For hybrid rice seeds, farmers are only requested to pay P1,500 while the city government will be paying P3,000 per cavan of hybrid rice seeds.

On corn seeds, farmers are required to pay P1, 700 per bag and P2,800 will be shouldered by the city government while on hybrid corn seeds, farmers are required to pay P1,500 per bag while P3, 000 for the city government.

Fernandez said farmers are only given one cavan of rice seeds subsidy per hectare.

Farmers who will claim the rice and corn subsidies from the city government are advised to bring the required documents of either of the following: valid identification card with picture and signature, community tax certificate (sedula) or land title of the farm.

The early distribution of the rice seeds is in anticipation to the release of water of the National irrigation Administration – Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIIS) that is set on November 16, 2011 where the start of the next cropping season will commence. -PIA — ARA