LAOAG CITY – A total of PhP 49.97 million worth of agricultural inputs will be distributed starting Wednesday to farmers devastated by this month’s Super Typhoon Julian and Severe Tropical Storm Kristine.
In an interview Tuesday, provincial agriculturist Teresa Bacnat said the provincial government provided PhP 46.3 million while the Department of Agriculture (DA) provided PhP 3.67 million augmentation to procure inorganic fertilizers and vegetable, hybrid corn and rice seeds.
The distribution will be held in:
– Bangui auditorium for the towns of Adams, Pagudpud, Bangui, Dumalneg, and Burgos;
– Vintar auditorium for Bacarra, Pasuquin and Vintar;
– Ilocos Norte Agriculture and Fisheries Extension Center compound here for Laoag City, Sarrat and San Nicolas;
– Piddig auditorium for Piddig, Carasi, and Solsona;
– Marcos auditorium for Dingras, Marcos, Banna, and Nueva Era;
– Imelda Cultural Center for Batac City and Paoay; and
– Pinili auditorium for those from Pinili, Badoc, and Currimao.
“Most of the rehabilitation inputs such as the 15, 000 bags of inorganic fertilizers and almost 800 bags of hybrid corn seeds were requested by our farmers because it is now the planting season for corn,” Bacnat said.
She said rice farmers may also avail of corn seeds to augment the continuing intervention from the provincial government and boost food security amid threats of natural calamities.
She said farmers may also request for assorted vegetable seeds that are available at the Sustainable Development Center under the provincial government.
To speed up farmers’ requests for any kind of assistance, she said farmers may send messages to the Agri Ka Dito hotlines 0916-4419914 or 0969-2905489, or send emails to [email protected], along with a copy of their valid identification cards.
Farmers may also visit the Provincial Agriculture Office in Barangay 2, Laoag City or the Sustainable Development Center for crop assistance requests.
“Farmers in Ilocos Norte are fortunate and blessed by various aids given by the local and national governments. We cannot thank enough our governor for his leadership and for ensuring full-service assistance — from pre-planting to marketing, to produce more through technology and mechanization, and improve our irrigation,” Crisner Lagazo, owner of Crisner Integrated Farms in Pasuquin town, said.
In return, the Crisner Integrated Farms serves as one of the province’s learning sites for agriculture. (PNA)