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Ormoc farmer is Nat'l Presidential awardee

BARANGAY Captain Alfredo Roble of Valencia, here in Ormoc is one of the awardees of the Agriculture Department’s Gawad Saka 2011 as an Outstanding Hybrid Rice Farmer. He is set to join other awardees in Manila where he will receive a Presidential citation and trophy as well as P100,000 reward.

Prior to that, Roble became a regional awardee and received P30,000. The city government rewarded him P5,000 also. There were three of them finalists for the national search, one from Ifugao province and another from Davao. Eventually, it was Roble who was chosen.

Roble is one of the earliest beneficiaries of Mayor Eric C. Codilla’s Rice Production Enhancement Program in 2004. The program gave inputs (fertilizers, medicines, etc.) to farmers on the condition they will plant hybrid rice seeds and harvest at least 140 cavans of palay (unhusked rice) per hectare.

Yield under the inbred variety is only 90 cavans per hectare. Production is even more increased if the farmer applies the rationing method which allows new tillers to grow from stubbles of the main crop. Farmers who cannot 140 cavans per harvest will have to pay for the inputs. To farmers who want to switch to hybrid rice, Roble advices them apply urea only after 30-40 days from planting. By Jun Colo
(Issue of Oct. 3-9, 2011)

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