Laoag is among top rice producers in PH

By Dominic B. dela Cruz

Staff Reporter

Laoag City agriculturist Oscar Recta announced that Laoag City is a national awardee in the field of quality rice production.

The awarding ceremony will be held at Resort World Hotel Plaza in Pasay City on March 14 and Laoag City is set to receive P1 million worth of agricultural projects as prize for the award.

According to Recta, the selection for award was based on rice production wherein Laoag produced 220 cavans per hectare compared to the past years which was only about 60 cavans per hectare. In effect, the city attained a 60 percent increase for 2013.

He added that it was also based on the quality of rice produced with the use of improved varieties of rice, including hybrid rice seeds. This became possible after an ordinance was passed in the city calling for the city’s share in Republic Act 7171, or the tobacco excise tax act, to be used in the purchase of hybrid rice and corn seeds to be distributed for free to farmers.

Records show that Laoag has an estimated 3,150 hectares used for rice production with 69,300 cavans produced every planting season.

Recta also disclosed that currently, some parts of Brgys. Madiladig, Cataban, Tangid and Bengcag have at least three cropping seasons for rice after they became fully irrigated.

Meanwhile, Recta was also named the national most outstanding city agriculturist and most outstanding agriculture extension worker Josephine Aljon. Both are set to receive cash prizes of P20,000 each.

In addition to this, Recta also said that his office recently received a communication that Laoag was also adjudged as a regional winner for 2014 Gawad Saka Search as Outstanding Regional Agriculture and Fishery Council and that they would be vying for the national title.

Likewise, a farmer of Laoag, Mario Pagal of Brgy. Barit, also won as Regional Outstanding Small Animal Raiser and would also be vying for the national award.

Unluckily, Recta said that Pagal died with heart failure due to overexcitement.

Relative to this, Recta requested the DA regional office the possibility of replacing the deceased winner with his wife for the continuation of the award for the national category.

Pagal owned an integrated farming system and was a hog, goat and cow raiser.