NOTE: THIS STORY WAS FIRST PUBLISHED IN THE BOHOL CHRONICLE’S SUNDAY PRINT EDITION.
The province of Bohol remains to be rice sufficient and continued to hold its title as “Rice Basket “ in Central Visayas.
This came as the rice harvest season in Bohol is mid-way and the Boholano farmers have registered high yield performance both in hybrid and inbred rice being planted in rain-fed and irrigated areas in the province.
Provincial Seeds Coordinator Lorebien N. Lagapa bared that the Provincial Government of Bohol (PGBh) through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) in partnership with the Irrigators Association, Municipal Local Government Units, and Seeds Companies had already conducted four hybrid rice festivals this dry cropping season in preparation to the Grand Hybrid Rice Festival in the town of Pilar this month.
Lagapa who is also the Rice Section Head, Crops and Productivity Division, OPA said that the four festivals were conducted in Lomangog, Ubay on March 17, 2023; Hambabauran, Ubay (March 21, 2023); Tugas, Candijay (March 24, 2023); and in Gabi, Ubay last March 28, 2023.
The Provincial Seeds Coordinator reported that the results of the crop cut from hybrid rice during the festivals have shown high yield performance that would reach 7.0 metric tons per hectare (ha.).
She disclosed that the activities to be undertaken in the conduct of a festival are the following: rice field walk, Holy Mass, short program, crop cut and then harvesting.
At Gabi Ubay Festival, Executive Assistance for Poverty Reduction Gil Bongato and Jun Flores who represented Gov. Erico Aristotle C. Aumentado shared the mandate of the province through OPA which are the following: ensure food sufficiency and security in Bohol; increase productivity and income among Boholano farmers.
They thanked the Irrigators Associations (IAs), seeds companies and the concerned MLGUs who have been helping the agricultural endeavor of the PGBh.
On the other hand, Ubay Municipal Agriculturist Marianito Doydora, and Barangay Captain Rogelio Cagulangan of Gabi, Ubay also expressed thanks and gratitude to the PGBh for the support they have been given to the Boholano farmers such as farm technology and machinery.
The festival in Gabi, Ubay was the most participated activity wherein about 140 farmers from Gabi, Bulilis and Hambabauran (GBH) Irrigators Association in town.
The Grand Hybrid Rice Harvest Festival this month is to be conducted in 100 has. compact rice areas in Pilar tilled by some members of Irrigators Associations. This is different from the harvest festival wherein it only focuses on 1 ha. Technology Demonstration Farm.
Bohol has 57, 783 has. of physical rice areas, of these 3,528 has. were planted by hybrid rice during dry season wherein the towns of Ubay, Pilar and San Miguel represented the big areas. (Atoy Cosap)
