LUBAO, Pampanga – The municipal government of Lubao through the municipal agriculturist office, and the Department of Agriculture (DA) jointly celebrated the first Grand Harvest Festival.
The Grand Harvest Festival was introduced by SL Agritech Corporation in Barangay San Pedro Palcarangan here.
During the grand harvest festival, it was announced that the associations of farmers and irrigators benefitted from the bountiful harvest using SL-8H, a hybrid variety of rice.
The hybrid rice seeds were part of the hybridization program of DA and local government of Lubao.
Mayor Mylyn Pineda-Cayabyab welcomed the guests and thanked them for their efforts in yielding a bountiful harvest. She also said that the occasion is a way of inviting other farmers to try planting hybrid seeds.
“It is up to you, farmers, to judge the result of the hybridization program. As you can see, we have a good yield. This is for you all,” she said.
Governor Lilia “Nanay” Pineda said that Pampanga plays a vital role in supplying rice in the country. She added that the province is one of the top ten shortlisted provinces to supply palay nationwide.
“Ing probinsyang Kapampangan, metung ya kareng top ten shortlisted provinces nationwide a magsuplay palay. Per harvest, makaproduce tamung 8,592 cavans. Maragul ya pu kasi mangasipag kayu pa pung ortelanu,” she said.
The governor also urged the farmers to use more hybrid seeds for them to double their harvest. In return, she will persuade the provincial board to give loans to the farmers and let them pay after harvest so that they won’t have a problem with starting up.
Dr. Henry Lim Boon Liong, chairman and CEO of SL Agritech Corporation, gave tips on how farmers can maximize their income from planting hybrid rice.
“Upon receiving your income, set aside at least 20% so that when the need arises, you have money to buy your seeds. I don’t want you to be farmers. I want you to be entrepreneurs,” he said.
SL Agritech has been the major partner of DA in increasing the rice productivity of Pampanga through hybrid rice technology since 2015.
The Grand Harvest Festival is part of their information dissemination drive to radiate to other farmers the benefits of planting hybrid rice. –PHILIP OCAMPO • PIO PAMPANGA