Need to boost farm productivity cited

MANILA, Philippines -  Tarlac Governor Victor Yap has  urged farmers in the province “to work doubly hard to boost our farm productivity and income.”

In a brief talk at a hybrid rice festival sponsored by SL Agritech Corp., Gov. Yap said “there is apparent need for all of us to keep abreast with the various technological approaches and to be continuously in search of new and better systems towards  increased food productivity.”

During the same occasion, La Paz Mayor Michael Manuel expressed high hopes that by embracing the new  hybrid rice technology, “our farmers will substantially increase their production and  income, so much so that it will become our stepping stone towards the improvement of our community and people.”

Among those present during the festival, which has for its  theme “Mula sa Kawalan Tungo sa Kaunlaran,” and attended by over 350 farmers and community leaders, were Henry Lim, SL Agritech chairman and CEO; former Food Minister and NFA Adminsitrator  Jesus Tanchanco;  and Fr. Ed dela Torre, representing Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala.

SL Agritech has been holding hybrid rice festivals since 2006 in towns and provinces to promote the hybrid rice technology.

Encouraged by the benefits of hybrid rice technology, Lim said  several Asian countries have already been  using his firm’s rice technology – Myanmar, Cambodia, Brunei, Nigeria, Malaysia and  Bangladesh including  Vietnam, where, he said,  “we import billions of pesos worth  of rice every year.”

“This is the irony at ang malungkot,  mismo dito sa atin, hindi ito nabibigyan ng gaanong pansin ng ating pamahalaan, kundi marahil ngayon na lamang,” he added.