S.Cotabato rice program yielded bigger harvest at lower cost, says governor

A program that consolidates small rice farms in South Cotabato into production blocks managed by cooperatives boosted productivity and lowered production costs, the province's governor said Thursday.

Governor Reynaldo Tamayo on Thursday said that under the province's Consolidated Rice Production and Mechanization Program (CRPMP), farmers harvested 10 to 14 tonnes of palay (unhusked rice) per hectare, compared to the usual yield of four tonnes per hectare.

The CRPMP was launched in June.

“Napakaganda ng results. From four tonnes per hectare na nakasanayan natin nationwide on average, akala namin aabot ng eight tonnes. Pero kagandahan, nag-harvest na tayo two weeks ago… umabot tayo ng 10 to 14 tonnes na harvest per hectares sa unang 200 hectares,” Tamayo told PTV’s Bagong Pilipinas.

(The results were positive. From four tonnes of palay per hectare, we got 10 to 14 tonnes per hectare for the first 200 hectares.)

“Ibig sabihin, ang purpose at rason kung bakit kailangan mataas ang productivity natin [ay] para ma-lower ang costs of production,” he said.

(This means, we have to improve rice productivity to lower the cost of production.)

“Kung noon nasa four tonnes lang tayo, ang cost of production nasa P12 to P15 per kilo of palay. With this new result, ang nangyari nasa P5 to P6 ang costs ng palay. Ibig sabihin you can now produce  one kilo of palay with P5 to P6 only,” he added.

(Our cost of production for four tonnes per hectare is P12 to P15 per kilo of palay. Now, it only costs us P5 to P6.)

Tamayo said local farmers are also seen to earn up to P80,000 to P140,000 per hectare—a jump from the previous P16,000 to P20,000.

"'Yung presyo [ng palay] pwede na ibagsak up to P25,” he added.

(Palay may now be priced at P25.)

Around 20,000 hectares have been consolidated under the CRPMP, the governor added.

Malacañang allocated around P115 million to the CRPMP which, it said, "promotes the creation of an organized and efficient rice production and marketing system in the province."

Citing the provincial government, it said the consolidated farming program would enhance production, improve grain quality, as well as become globally competitive through strategies such as good agricultural practices, low cost production, efficient farm mechanization and value-adding practices.

In August, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said P20 per kilo of rice—a Marcos Jr. campaign promise—could be attained only if the country increases its rice production. — Sundy Locus/BM, GMA Integrated News