TACLOBAN CITY, Feb. 24 (PNA) -- Leyte rice farmers get fresh loans from
the provincial government's More Income in the Countryside (MIC) rice program
as a new planting season starts.
A total of 62 farmers from Babatngon, Tanauan and Sta. Fe towns received
the new loans, which amount to a minimum of PHP15,000.
Leyte Governor Leopoldo Dominico Petilla said previous loans distributed
to rice farmers have been successfully paid that the provincial government is
able to roll over the amount for the next planting season and make whole
program sustainable.
This time, more than PHP1.5 million was allotted by the province for
these new rice loans.
The MIC rice program is a spin off the ICOT Rice Program of former
governor and now senatorial candidate Carlos Jericho Petilla.
Mainly, the program is aimed at ensuring rice production for farmers and
help in attaining rice self sufficiency in the province of Leyte.
The same mechanism for the loan has been in effect where farmers are
allowed a minimum of PHP15,000 per hectare of rice farms. This would cover
expenses for labor, seeds, fertilizers, pesticides and insurance.
The farmers would pay back the loan amount through a good rice produce
and would itself buy the rice direct from the farmers at a rate a peso higher
than the prevailing price.
"The secret to the sustainability of the program is close
monitoring of farmer beneficiaries to make sure that they are able to plant and
produce good quality rice. If they are able to make the payments, this assures
that there is a ready fund for another round of loan distribution needed for
the next planting season," Petilla said.
Also, the governor added that under the program, planting climate
resilient rice seeds has been encouraged to adapt to a changing climate which
affects much the production.
Leyte has some 60,000 hectares of rice land. In 2007, the Department of
Agriculture acknowledged Leyte as among the country's top rice producer. (PNA)
JBP/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES
JBP/SQM/AHLETTE C. REYES
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