Dumarao, Capiz farmers tapped for hybrid rice demonstration

Eighty five farmers from the Municipality of Dumarao, Capiz tapped by the Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas as partners for the implementation of the Community Hybrid Rice Model Farm Cluster (CHRMFC) for wet season 2023 and dry season 2023 – 2024. The project seeks to enhance the adoption of hybrid rice technology among farmers as a means to achieve self-sufficiency in rice production amid the increasing expenses for agricultural inputs, particularly fuel and fertilizer. 

During the field day held on October 6 at Poblacion Ilawod, Dumarao, DA Western Visayas’ Agriculturist I Karen Mae Hipolito said that CHRMFC intends to capacitate local rice farmers with strategic approach to production, harvesting, processing, and marketing as well as to generate data that will level up the adoption of hybrid rice varieties, cutting-edge technologies and management practices.

According to Hipolito, a total of 68.18 hectares of rice areas in the municipality were planted to six National Seed Industry Council (NSCI) – approved hybrid rice varieties including NSIC Rc 314H (Bigante Plus), NSIC Rc 350H (TH 82), NSIC Rc 488H (SL-19H), NSIC RC 456H (LP 937), NSIC Rc 666H (Jackpot), and NSIC Rc 404H (LP 2096). These varieties are said to have good performance in terms of yield, resistance to pests and diseases and other abiotic stresses. 

“The cluster areas we identified as sites for the demonstration of hybrid rice seeds are irrigated as hybrid seeds require adequate water to grow properly. Based on the DA recommendations, our farmer cooperators planted 15 kilograms seeds per hectare through the use of mechanical transplanter, 18 kilograms through manual planting, and 22 kilograms per hectare using a granular applicator,” she added. 

In addition to the 87 bags of hybrid rice seeds, the department also provided farmer cooperators with a total of 411 bags of various fertilizers, including 14-14-14, urea, muriate of potash, and Humus Plus bio-fertilizer.

“Daku gid ang benepisyo nga nangin kabahin kami sang community hybrid rice demo farm project sang DA kay may libre nga binhi kag abono. Yara sa 14 tubtob 16 ang productive tillers kag 300 to 350 grains per panicle ang palay namon gamit ang TH 82 nga binhi. Sa 0.8 ka ektarya, nakapatubas kami sang 129 ka sako nga palay magligad ang 110 ka adlaw halin sang pagtanom,” said Ron Raegn Gaser, farmer from Brgy. Astorga.

On the other hand, Dr. Aljen Vasquez, chief of Capiz Research Outreach Station in Brgy. Astorga urged farmers to continuously adopt the PalayCheck System and other cost-efficient ways of cultivating rice.Moreover, he emphasized the importance of leveraging modern agricultural machinery to reduce labor expenses and minimize postharvest losses. 

DA also implements the CHRMFC this cropping season in New Washington, Aklan; Culasi, Antique; Nueva Valencia, Guimaras, Dumangas, Iloilo; and Hinobaan, Negros Occidental. ### By Sheila Mae H. Toreno/DA-RAFIS 6