La Union awarded one of top rice-producing provinces

By Erwin Beleo and Jojo Riñoza

SAN FERNANDO CITY, La Union -- Like Bulacan, it was the fourth time for Pangasinan, but somewhat sweeter the first time around for La Union to be adjudged one of the country’s seven top rice-producing provinces for 2016.

In recent ceremonies in Pasay City, the Department of Agriculture gave the Rice Achievers Award for the first time to La Union with Gov. Emmanuel Francisco R. Ortega III and the provincial agriculture officials receiving the trophy and cash prize of P4 million.

The DA found out that in 2016, La Union had posted a 1.95-percent increase in its rice production with a total production of 175,373 metric tons as compared with its total volume of 172,000 metric tons the previous year.

Ortega attributed this development to his support to the rice farming programs in communities like the distribution of farm machineries, provision of organic and inorganic fertilizers, and provision of farmers’ training on organic agriculture and other new farming technologies.

It is the same formula which Gov. Amado T. Espino III had employed for his province of Pangasinan to be elevated as a Hall of Famer in the awards in 2015.

Apart from bagging its fourth Rice Achievers Award, Pangasinan remains to be the “food basket” of Region 1 as it supplies 62 percent of rice in the region, 65 percent of corn, 82 percent of eggplant, 78 percent of mangoes, and 86 percent of fish.

It shares the same honor with Bulacan. Other Luzon provinces that made it to DA’s top rice producers list for 2016 were Nueva Ecija and Nueva Vizcaya. – Erwin Beleo and Freddie G. Lazaro