Buffer rice stocks ready in the wet season – OPA
BY BOY RYAN B. ZABAL

KALIBO, Aklan – The local farmers in the province of Aklan harvested 52,066 metric tons of rice during the dry season this year, the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA) report disclosed.

Provincial Agriculturist William Castillo said “of the rice produced this year, 33,842 metric tons of milled rice is 20 percent higher compared to the figures in the first quarter last year.”

He also noted during the regular Governor’s Report to the People at the Provincial Guest House that more than 50 percent of the rice consumption of 63,000 metric tons last year is already harvested by local farmers.

Castillo said the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse has sufficient rice stocks during lean months in June to August.

“As of May 6, NFA’s buffer stocks yielded 103,744 bags of palay. The food agency is also prepared for the lean months as some 49,000 bags of rice as allocation for Aklan are expected for delivery to address the rice requirement for the wet month’s season,” he said.

Castillo also expressed optimism of the third cropping season in the last week of May to boost rice production in the province.

Meanwhile, Engr. Rizalo Concepcion of the National Irrigation Administration (NIA)-Aklan said the Department of Agriculture this year is setting aside P25 million for Panakuyan River Irrigation System in Ibajay, Aklan and P12.5 million for Aklan River Irrigation System to rehabilitate the dilapidated irrigation facilities.

Although Aklan remains a rice surplus-producing province in the region, Aklan Governor Carlito Marquez has urged the local farmers to sustain the cultivation of hybrid rice to increase local rice production.

“The provincial government is working hand in hand with NIA Aklan for the provision of irrigation facilities for the continuous supply of irrigation water to the farm especially in hybrid rice areas,” the governor added.