LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - The provincial government continues to achieve major breakthroughs in agricultural production as reported by the office of the provincial agriculturist to Gov. Victor E. Agbayani.

In his report to the governor, Provincial Agriculturist Jose M. Almendares said that this year alone, a total of 6,239.66 hectares were planted to hybrid rice in addition to 6,808.00 hectares covered last year.

Almendares said some P1.10 million was released by the province as credit assistance to three core cooperatives for the purchase of the palay and corn produce of their members under the Grains Marketing Assistance Program (GMAP).

Gov. Agbayani put up the GMAP in partnership with the Land Bank of the Philippines and the National Food Authority to give farmers better price for their palay and corn harvests. Some 110,367.06 cavans of corn amounting to P56.63 million have already been procured, giving the cooperatives an extra income of P3 million last year.

Since October 2001, the provincial government through GMAP was able to accredit and extend marketing assistance to 17 core cooperatives and 85 service cooperatives/associations. A total of P24.05 million trading loan fund has been released to the core cooperatives. GMAP has increased farmers’ productivity giving the cooperatives and its farmer members an aggregate additional income of about P40 million pesos.

Almendares said that in support to tilapia farming, there are three fish farms presently utilized for breeding of tilapia, a combination of hapa and pond based method is being practiced in Malued Fish Farm, Dagupan City while concrete tank based method is being used in Lucap Fish Farm in Alaminos City and in Libsong Fish Farm in Lingayen.

To date there are 233,050 pieces of tilapia fingerlings available for the province’s communal fishing program and fishery assistance program.

The provicne was able to complete the rehabilitation of nine more communal irrigation systems worth P32,614,172.88. The new irrigation facilities have a total coverage area of 945.30  hectares. Since 1998, the province has either built or rehabilitated hundreds of small and large irrigation facilities with a total service area of more than 16,000 hectares.

In collaboration with the Philippine Coconut Authority, a total of 3,900 coconut seedlings were given to fisherfolk associations in Bolinao, Anda and Binmaley in line with the coconut replanting program. (PIO/Jennifer Domantay)