Zaragoza farmers to supply special rice soon

Zaragoza, Nueva Ecija—Farmers here have started to engage in special rice agripreneurship addressing the demand of province’s rice cake vendors and in Tarlac.

In a ceremonial activity in Brgy. Mayamot, farmer-members of PhilRice’s Rice Business Innovations System (RiceBIS) Community Program planted special rice in a demo farm managed by the Ugat-Uhay Farmers Association (UUFA), June 21. The varieties included NSIC Rc 15 (Malagkit 2), 21 (Malagkit 5), and 402 (Tubigan 36), 428 (Sahod Ulan 19), and 430 (Sahod Ulan 20).

Joel Pascual, PhilRice community development facilitator, said the association selected special rice because rice cake vendors place a premium on this type of rice. Demand on rice flour from special rice were also raised.

With 40 farmer-participants, the program involves season-long capacity enhancement on agripreneurship and Farmer Business School to help them increase their income from rice farming.

To sustain the enterprise, farmers were encouraged to maintain their organization rallying the “Basta toGather, winner!” slogan.

According to Pascual, the slogan embeds the benefits of gathering or consolidating farmers’ palay for better prices and negotiating power.

He explained that farmers can benefit from economies of scale that lowers the cost per unit when palay is sold in bulk; which makes palay selling more attractive to bigger buyers such as consolidators and millers.

“When realized, this model will pull the farmers out of being trapped in the non-lucrative small scale palay production. Aside from palay trading, organized farmers can also try other enterprises such as labor and machine contracting, input selling, seed production, rice milling, wholesaling, and retailing,” he said.

Since wet season last year, UUFA had established demo farms in partnership with PhilRice to test and exhibit technologies including rice varieties and machines such as mechanical transplanter and drumseeder.

UUFA’s neighboring RiceBIS partner-cooperative, Pinagbuklod na Adhika Agricultural Cooperative (PAAC), already handles multiple enterprises including inputs selling (palay and fertilizers), custom service facilities provision, and processed rice products selling such as rice and mungbean brew, brown rice, and milled rice.

Formed in September 2017, UUFA is preparing to establish themselves as competitive players in the market through the RiceBIS program. Agencies in Region III such as Agricultural Training Institute, Regional Field Office of Department of Agriculture, Department of Trade and Industry, local government of Zaragoza, Central Luzon State University, Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, and Philippine Carabao Center also work with UUFA and PAAC. (PhilRice news)

Comments

Free dormitories eyed for Nueva Era students in LC, Batac

Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida By Dominic B. dela Cruz ( Staff Reporter) Nueva Era , Ilocos Norte—The municipal government here, headed by Nueva Era mayor Aldrin Garvida is planning to establish dormitories in the cities of Laoag and Batac that will exclusively cater to college students from the said cities. “Sapay la kuma ta maituloyen iti mabiit tay ar-arapaapen tayo ken iti munisipyo a maipatakderan kuma dagiti annak tayo a college students nga agbasbasa idiay siyudad iti Batac ken Laoag iti libre a dormitoryo a bukod da ngem inggana nga awan pay ket an-anusan mi paylaeng nga ibaklay kenni apo bise mayor iti pagbayad da iti kasera aggapu iti bukod mi a suweldo malaksid dagitay it-ited iti munisipyo ken iti barangay nga stipend da kada semester, ” Garvida said. Garvida added that the proposed establishment of dormitories would be a big help to the students’ parents as this would shoulder the expenses of their children for rent and likewise they would feel more secured

Empanada festival: A celebration of good taste and good life

By Dominic B. dela Cruz & Leilanie G. Adriano Staff reporters BATAC CITY—If there is one thing Batac is truly proud of, it would be its famous empanada-making business that has nurtured its people over the years. Embracing a century-old culture and culinary tradition, Batac’s empanada claims to be the best and tastiest in the country with its distinctive Ilokano taste courtesy of its local ingredients: fresh grated papaya, mongo, chopped longganisa, and egg. The crispy orange wrapper and is made of rice flour that is deep-fried. The celebration of this city’s famous traditional fast food attracting locals and tourists elsewhere comes with the City Charter Day of Batac every 23 rd of June. Every year, the City Government of Batac led by Mayor Jeffrey Jubal Nalupta commemorate the city’s charter day celebration to further promote its famous One-Town, One Product, the Batac empanada. Empanada City The Batac empanada festival has already become an annua

P29 per kilo rice sold to vulnerable groups in Ilocos region

BBM RICE. Residents buy rice for only PHP29 per kilo at the NIA compound in San Nicolas town, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. The activity was under a nationwide pilot program of the government to sell quality and affordable rice initially to the vulnerable sectors. (Lei Adriano) San Nicolas , Ilocos Norte —Senior citizens, persons with disability, and solo parents availed of cheap rice sold at PHP29 per kilogram during the grand launching of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) Rice held at the National Irrigation Administration compound in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte province on Sept. 13, 2024. “ Maraming salamat Pangulong Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. sa inyong pagmamahal sa Region 1 lalong-lalo na sa bayan namin sa San Nicolas,” said Violeta Pasion, a resident Brgy. 18 Bingao in this town. The low-priced grains were sourced from the National Irrigation Administration’s (NIA) contract farming with irrigators' association members in the province. Along with Pasion, Epi

The Ilocos Times

Search This Blog