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Cagayan Valley set to post record rice, corn harvests in 1st sem of 2011


The expansion of irrigated areas, the use of quality seeds, and good weather have helped Cagayan Valley produce what could well be a record-high for harvests of palay (unmilled rice) and corn in the first half of the year. The total regional harvests are estimated to reach 1.223 million metric tons (MT) of palay and 852,239 MT of corn for the first six months of 2011, Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 2 Director Lucrecio Alviar Jr. told Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala. The region’s expected 2011 first semester palay harvest is projected to be 31.4 percent more than last year’s output of 930,999 MT and 0.6 percent more than in 2009 (1.216 million MT) for the same six-month period. Alviar said as of middle of May, only about 3.4 percent (about 11,000 hectares) of rice farms and 1.4 percent (3,100 hectares) of corn areas remain to be harvested on or before June 30, 2011. He said for the first semester the total area planted to rice in Cagayan Valley was 298,661 hectares, while for corn, 215,970 hectares. Corn harvest is expected to top 852,239 MT, 114 percent or more than double last year’s yield of 397,417 MT, and 5.6 percent more than in 2009 (807,290 MT), during the first semester. Alviar said 2010 was an abnormal year, as prolonged drought caused by the El Niño phenomenon reduced agricultural production. Thus, it is better to compare this year’s production with 2009. Improved irrigation, better seeds Alviar, said one major factor that contributed to the record-breaking rice harvest is that more and more farmers are using quality seeds — with 150,175 hectares planted to certified seeds, and 20,269 hectares to hybrid seeds. Alcala, for his part, commended government’s sustained efforts in partnerships with Cagayan Valley farmers’ groups, local government officials and other industry stakeholders. He said “as irrigation is the lifeblood of agriculture, we will continue to allot and seek more resources to vigorously pursue the repair and rehabilitation of existing irrigation systems, and construction of big systems and small water impounding projects — all to attain self-sufficiency in rice by end of 2013." In Cagayan Valley, such efforts are paying off, as an additional 7,000 hectares were irrigated during the first semester of 2011, said NIA administrator Antonio Nangel. Additional areas irrigated during dry season reached 6,252 hectares, served by national and community irrigation systems, while 830 hectares were irrigated through small water impounding projects. — MRT/KBK, GMA News

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