Official Website of the Provincial Government of Biliran

PRESS RELEASE
February 11, 2003

Gov. Espina's Dagdag-Ani pays up,
Biliran posts highest yield per hectare in EV

Naval, Biliran - Governor Rogelio Espina of this province underscored the recent increase in rice production, where Biliran province was earlier reported to post the highest yield per hectare among the six provinces in Region 8.

Governor Espina declared that Biliran's achievement as the highest rice producer per hectare of land for the year ending 2002 resulted from the Dagdag-Ani program, which he launched early last year, in cooperation with the Department of Agriculture, to improve rice production in the province. The Governor encouraged farmers to use certified and hybrid seeds for planting.

Through the Dagdag-ani, the provincial government supplies certified high-yield rice seeds to farmers in a plant-now-pay-later scheme. After harvest, the farmers using certified high-yield seeds delivers a sack of palay per sack of certified seeds received from the provincial government. The certified seeds costs P650 per bag but is made available for P325 to farmers thru subsidy of the provincial government. While for those using the hybrid seeds, the farmer pay an initial amount of P500 upon receiving the seeds and pay the remaining balance of P500 after harvest. The hybrid seeds costs P2,000 per bag but through subsidy, is offered for only P1,000 to farmers.

The Office of the Provincial Agricultural Services has also conducted a series of trainings and information drive with on the use of certified and hybrid seeds, as well as the technology in using organic fertilizers under the "balanced fertilization" system.

Over-all rice production in Biliran posted an increase of 1,716 metric tons in 2002 over that of 2001, with an average yield of 3.7 metric tons per hectare compared to 3.62 metric tons per hectare in 2001.

The Provincial Information Office
(053) 500-9571