THE decline in the production of major crops in Zamboanga del Sur is not a cause for worry, said Gov. Aurora Cerilles, since the causes are not man-made and can be dealt with promptly and eventually it will rebound.
For the past year, two big typhoons wreaked havoc and struck parts of Zamboanga Peninsula and also flooded key crop growing municipalities in the province.
But while flashfloods in the region has affected coconut, abaca, rubber plants and other high value fruits like lanzones, mango and durian, there were modest harvest of cassava, mongo and banana.
The rise in fuel prices likewise hampered production in the fish sector but seaweeds and aquaculture reported sizeable increases in production.
Cerilles said she was happy that while corn production dropped by almost 20 percent in the region, Zamboanga del Sur was able to pull off a small percentage increase in its production, from 135,903 to 141,520 total metric tons for both yellow and white corn varieties.
The causes of the corn production decline were identified as pest incidence and the preference of farmers to plant palay over corn, according to an executive summary report of the Regional Development Council (RDC) chaired by the governor.
Cerilles stressed that there were efforts of the Provincial Government in assisting farmers all over the province and she has drummed up initiatives in increasing cassava production and integrated rice duck farming.
As to RDC’s present action, the governor said that RDC will endorse to DA Sec. Arthur Yap and Asec. Dennis Araullo, program director of GMA Corn Program, the resolution passed by the Agri-Industrial Development Committee requesting for the restoration of its corn seeds subsidy component.
In Zamboanga Peninsula, about 35 percent are corn-eating while the corn-livestock sector utilizes enhanced yellow corn production for poultry feeds requirements.
Cerilles said the restoration of the corn seeds subsidy component of the GMA Corn Program will not only uplift the marginal farmers and will enhance the government’s food security and poverty alleviation agenda.
Meanwhile, Zamboanga del Sur is already primed for an amplified corn production scheme with its a corn post-harvest trading center is located in Ramon Magsaysay, which can process 50-60 metric tons of yellow corn.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA
For the past year, two big typhoons wreaked havoc and struck parts of Zamboanga Peninsula and also flooded key crop growing municipalities in the province.
But while flashfloods in the region has affected coconut, abaca, rubber plants and other high value fruits like lanzones, mango and durian, there were modest harvest of cassava, mongo and banana.
The rise in fuel prices likewise hampered production in the fish sector but seaweeds and aquaculture reported sizeable increases in production.
Cerilles said she was happy that while corn production dropped by almost 20 percent in the region, Zamboanga del Sur was able to pull off a small percentage increase in its production, from 135,903 to 141,520 total metric tons for both yellow and white corn varieties.
The causes of the corn production decline were identified as pest incidence and the preference of farmers to plant palay over corn, according to an executive summary report of the Regional Development Council (RDC) chaired by the governor.
Cerilles stressed that there were efforts of the Provincial Government in assisting farmers all over the province and she has drummed up initiatives in increasing cassava production and integrated rice duck farming.
As to RDC’s present action, the governor said that RDC will endorse to DA Sec. Arthur Yap and Asec. Dennis Araullo, program director of GMA Corn Program, the resolution passed by the Agri-Industrial Development Committee requesting for the restoration of its corn seeds subsidy component.
In Zamboanga Peninsula, about 35 percent are corn-eating while the corn-livestock sector utilizes enhanced yellow corn production for poultry feeds requirements.
Cerilles said the restoration of the corn seeds subsidy component of the GMA Corn Program will not only uplift the marginal farmers and will enhance the government’s food security and poverty alleviation agenda.
Meanwhile, Zamboanga del Sur is already primed for an amplified corn production scheme with its a corn post-harvest trading center is located in Ramon Magsaysay, which can process 50-60 metric tons of yellow corn.
REPORT BY MICHAEL MEDINA