Friday, March 15, 2013

High-value crops farmers in Compostela Valley province

Forty-one million worth of rehabilitation assistance will be provided to high-value crops farmers in Compostela Valley province by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

This amount will immediately provide assistance to farmers and their families who were greatly affected by last year's Typhoon Pablo.

It is also part of the commitment of Agriculture secretary Proceso Alcala through the agency's Task Force Alayon (cooperation) and High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP).

According to DA regional director for Davao Region Remelyn Recoter, most of the affected farmers in the province were those tending high-value crops such as cacao, banana, coffee, and rubber.

"We have to immediately provide them assistance so they can recover from such huge losses," Recoter said.

We also need to fast track our rehabilitation efforts to ensure that there will be no shortage in production," she added.

During last week's Bulawan Festival, the DA turned over the funding support to the provincial government.

A tripartite memorandum of agreement (MOA) between the DA, provincial government and private sector was also forged to fast track various agri-interventions.

Under the cacao rehabilitation program, the DA turned over a total of P13.125 million funds to the provincial government for both agencies including the Kennemer Foods Inc., a private company to establish 1,500 hectares of cacao plantations.

Cacao farmers covered by the program can avail themselves of free seedlings, fertilizers, and technical trainings.

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