IFUGAO

GMA rice and corn program increases yield in Ifugao towns

LAGAWE, Ifugao – The Bureau of Agricultural Statistics reported an increase in yield in rice and palay production here, and has attributed it to the quality seeds under the GMA rice and corn program of the Dep. of Agriculture.

After finalizing survey reports, BAS representative Joseph Aclibon said the increase was "due to the use of quality seeds by farmers here under the GMA- Rice and Corn Program of the Department of Agriculture" .

Based on records obtained from the provincial agriculture, environment and natural resources office, the result of the BAS survey recorded increase in yield of 2.31 MT as compared to the same time last year.

The latter part of the year only had a yield of 1.96 MT with a percentage change of 18.9 percent for palay production from January to June 2007 for irrigated rice lands with hybrid, modern inbred, and native and farmer's seeds used.

A slight decrease in yield was noted in October to December for hybrid, modern inbred and native and farmers rice seeds.

But based on projections of BAS, yield for rice from January to December 2007 will be 2.80 MT compared to the same time last year which was 2.64 MT.

Moreover, corn harvest from January to June 2007 was recorded at 3.75 MT compared to 3.71 MT during the same period last year recording a percentage change of 1.2 MT.

Records of corn yield from January to December was projected at 2.80 MT as compared to 2.64MT for the same period last year.

Aclibon noted that area planted to corn was increasing due to the conversion of pasture lands of farmers in corn areas particularly in the municipalities of Aguinaldo and Mayoyao. -- Jina Shirley G. Dacmay