DA and BOC drum up its efforts vs smuggling of agri commodities.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Department of Agriculture and the Bureau of Customs heightened their joint efforts in curtailing entry of smuggled agri commodities in Northern Mindanao.

The DA with DA-Bureau of Plant Industry, Plant Quarantine Services (DA-BPI PQS) in NorMin, and the Bureau of Customs-Port of Cagayan de Oro conducted an inventory and inspection of smuggled red onions on Thursday, November 4.

An estimated P5 million worth of smuggled onions were seized after the warehouse was raided on October 22 headed by the BOC-CDO team.

Atty. Roswald Joseph Pague BOC-CDO Deputy Collector for Administration and Senior OSM, said that its disposal will be set after completing the inventory of the warehouse along Corrales Extension in Cagayan de Oro City.

The Department of Agriculture has not issued a Sanitary Phytosanitary Import Clearance (SPSIC) for the said agri commodity; thus they are considered as smuggled.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, who at the same time the chair of DA Regional Management Committee discussed with DA-BPI PQS 10 Regional Manager Manuel A. Barradas and Atty. Pague in setting plans and strategies for its proper disposal in ensuring consumers’ safety.

RA 10845 otherwise known as the ‘Anti- Agricultural Smuggling Act of 2016’ states that seized smuggled agricultural products, shall be disposed of in a manner to be determined by the appropriate regulatory agency. #(ATC)

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office (DA-RFO 10) turned over rice seeds and fertilizers worth P48 million to rice farmers in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon on Wednesday, November 3.

Rice farmers from the 27 barangays of the said city received the agri inputs comprising of inbred and hybrid seeds for the dry planting season.

Also distributed were 16,575 bags of inorganic fertilizer amounting to P16.57 million.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado said that the agency aims to lower the production cost and improve the rice productivity and adequacy of farmers.

He added that the combined outcome of government interventions and continued strong partnerships with farmer cooperatives, associations, rice industry stakeholders, and local government units will boost rice efficiency.

“Ang mga binhi at abono ay malaki ang tulong at epekto nito sa pag-unlad ng aming sakahan,” said Wilfredo L. Ayre, president of Paiwaig Lalawan Communal Irrigators Association, Inc. of barangay Linabo.

Malaybalay City has an estimated 4,999 hectares of rice fields with an average yield of around 5.7 metric tons per hectare.

Leading the turnover was DA-10 RED Carlene C. Collado together with DA-RFO 10 Rice program focal person Chona H. Nacalaban, and Malaybalay City Agriculturist Remedios R. Sarzuelo, and local officials. #(RDElloren)

MSU-LNAC receives assorted veggie seeds from Agri NorMin to help promote food security and sufficiency among students.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY– The Mindanao State University – Lanao del Norte Agricultural College (MSU-LNAC) in Sultan Naga Dimaporo, Lanao del Norte received 70 packets of assorted vegetable seeds from the Department of Agriculture Region 10 on Thursday, November 4.

Comprising the assorted vegetable seeds are 20 packets each of garden salad (lettuce, tomato, cucumber), Chopsuey (pechay, radish, carrots, cauliflower), Sinigang (kangkong, pole sitao, radish, okra, tomato); and 10 packets of Pinakbet (eggplant, okra, ampalaya, pole sitao, squash) seed variants which will be used for the school’s “Bahay Kubo” project.

MSU-LNAC Head Dr. Indihra B. Dimaporo-Tawantawan, said that each school department will be provided with the seeds to vie for the school’s best garden competition.

DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado emphasized that DA’s Plant Plant Plant Program, thru its High-Value Crops Development Program, continuously support the different sectors’ urban gardening programs to scale up the region’s food sufficiency level amid the pandemic.

Earlier this year, they received a goat multiplier farm worth P5 million through DA-10’s Livestock Program.

“DA-10’s agri-interventions has been instrumental in improving research and instruction, and extension services that primarily aim to provide farming knowledge and skills to the Muslims and other cultural minorities in order to cope with the national standard,” shared Dr. Tawantawan.# (EMBentulan)

DA-10 partners with farmer-cooperators by capacitating them on the risk factors for pest outbreaks to address them accordingly.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The agriculture department of Northern Mindanao (DA-10) through its Regulatory Division conducted an orientation on Pest Risk Identification and Management (PRIME) to the farmer-cooperators of Maramag, Bukidnon.

PRIME focuses on allowing rice farmers to understand risk factors for pest outbreaks and determine appropriate management strategies and tactics to minimize crop losses.

It is a four-year collaborative project among DA, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice), and the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry (DA-BPI).

With the promotion in the adoption of best crop health management practices, farmers are eyed to reap higher yields and income. #(RDElloren/Photo supplied: CLQuiamco)

DA-BPI and BOC intensifies its collective efforts against the smuggling of agri-commodities in Region 10.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – In a joint effort to deepen the anti-smuggling of agricultural products, the DA-Bureau of Plant Industry- Plant Quarantine Service (DA-BPI PQS) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in Northern Mindanao conducted verification and examination of the three containers at the Mindanao International Container Terminal, Tagoloan, Misamis Oriental on Friday, October 29.

The verification is an outcome of the strengthened partnership of the said agencies on the declared imported commodity as frozen malt from China that arrived on October 20, 2021, but was found as fresh red onions and wonton skin.

The BOC team was spearheaded by BOC Intelligence Officer Abdel Sultan, Jover Umpar Customs Officer III, Customs Police, and a representative from Chamber of Customs Brokers, Inc., and DA-BPI PQS 10 Regional Manager Manuel A. Barradas with Plant Quarantine Officers Arnold Dela Cruz, Jr. and John M. Ermina.

It can be recalled that DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado earlier met BOC District Collector 10 Atty. Elvira Cruz with BOC Deputy Collector for Administration and Senior OSM, Atty. Roswald Joseph Pague, DA-BPI and DA-BAI in the presence of solidifying partnership in curtailing smuggled agri commodities in Region 10.

“In view of the report on the undocumented consignment that was transported into the country through sea and air, the DA-BPI pushes its fight against agricultural commodity smuggling in coordination with the Bureau of Customs to curb these illegal activities,” said Barradas.

The BOC examiner will submit his recommendations to BOC legal officer for issuance of a warrant of seizure and detention of the said commodity. The schedule of proper disposal will be set later. # (ATC/Photos supplied: AdelaCruz/JERmina)

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The agriculture department in Northern Mindanao (DA-10) conducted an operational demonstration for the three units of mechanical corn sheller amounting to P1 million at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Livestock Research Complex in Dalwangan.

On October 25, a total of six operators from select farmer-association recipients were capacitated on the proper operating procedures, maintenance, and management for the sustainable use of said facilities for their respective groups.

Funded by the Special Area for Agricultural Development (SAAD) program, the units will be distributed to three FAs, comprising about 105 farmers. #(RDElloren/Photo supplied: SAAD-10)

Agri dept in NorMin hosts the 1^st Nat’l. Livestock and Poultry month to laud those people who continue to contribute to the promotion and development of the livestock and poultry industry.

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) capped its first-ever National Livestock and Poultry (NLP) month celebration on October 28, 2021 at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex in Dalwangan.

With the theme, “Paghahayupan, Kabuhayang may Ani at Kita kahit pandemiya,” the observance aims to laud the people continually contributing to the promotion and development of the livestock and poultry industry.

Leading the event are Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, Regional Technical Director for Operations Carlota S. Madriaga and RTD for Research and Regulations Carmelita T. Bajarla, and Management Committee members of DA-10.

“This culmination signifies the importance of the livestock and poultry industry, considering that Region 10 is one of the top producing regions of livestock and poultry. By giving such importance, we can also extend the celebration to our private stakeholders,” DA-10 Livestock focal person Maria Lourdes M. Sypiecco conveyed.

The closing activity was filled with a string of contests such as tug of war, sack lifting, live weight estimates, chicken, itik, and pig catching.

Ahead of the culmination, a Virtual Barn Dance Competition, Country Song Competition, Longganisa Making Contest, demonstrations on Meat Processing and Artificial Insemination for Goat and Dehorning, and other NLP activities were also conducted.

These were participated by DA-10’s Field Operations, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Administrative and Finance, Regional Agricultural Engineering, Integrated Laboratory, Agribusiness, and Marketing Assistance, Regulatory and Research divisions, and the Office of the Regional Director.

Sypiecco added, that their participation is a manifestation of their commitment and passion towards contributing to the program and to the industry, as a whole.

Meanwhile, DA-10 RED Collado commended the program for its exemplary implementation of the agency’s livestock and poultry-related programs, projects, and interventions.

With the NLP month celebration, the department eyes to empower more livestock and poultry farmers, at the same time helping Northern Mindanao attain food security and sufficiency. #(RDElloren)

DA-10 distributes farm inputs to the rice farmers of Valencia City, Buk’non.

VALENCIA CITY, BUKIDNON, October 29 – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) distributed rice seeds and fertilizer amounting to P90.45 million to rice farmers of Valencia City, Bukidnon, in time for the dry planting season.

Of the total amount, P67.64 million worth of said agri inputs comprises 700 bags of inbred seeds at 40 kilos per bag, and 13,305 bags of hybrid rice seeds, with each bag containing 15 (for private hybrid) or 18 kilos ( for public hybrid) of seeds.

Complementing the handover of rice seeds, 22,805 bags of inorganic fertilizers costing P22.805 million were also distributed.

For every hectare, a farmer can receive 1 bag of high quality seed  and 3 bags of  fertilizer for hybrid and 2 bags for inbred.

Around 4K rice farmers will benefit from the said agri inputs from the 26 barangays of the said town.

Chona H. Nacalaban, DA-RFO 10 Rice program focal person said, that the agency continues to pursue initiatives anchored on its battlecry, “Masaganang Ani, Mataas na Kita”, which envisions smallholder Filipino farmers to become more prosperous by doubling their incomes.

Valencia City known as the ‘City of Golden Harvest’ has an estimated 10,000 hectares planted to rice, which is a quarter of the 40,000-hectare rice production area of Bukidnon, and with an average yield of more or less 5 tons per hectare.

“The provincial government supports to further improve rice productivity and its adequacy levels. Of which, can be boosted by the combined outcomes of government interventions and continued strong partnerships with farmer-groups, rice industry stakeholders, and local government units (LGUs),” Bukidnon Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Jacqueline Julia A. Lagamon remarked.

Rebecca Caro, president of Kahaponan Valencia City Irrigators Association, Inc, one of the benefitting 35 farmer-associations citywide shared, “Malaki ang pasasalamat namin sa mga binigay ng DA sa amin, malaking tulong ito lalo na ngayon na may pandemiya at tumataas ang mga bilihin lalo na ang abono. Ang mataas naming produksiyon ay dahil sa mga makinarya, training, tamang binhi at irigasyon na binigay ng iba’t ibang ahensiya ng gobyerno ilalaim sa DA bilang suporta dito sa Bukidnon.”

Representing Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado were DA-10 rice focal person Nacalaban with Provincial Operations Center Chief for Bukidnon Dr. Janet D. Lopez in coordination with local government of Valencia City through its City Agriculture Office.# (JCAnito)

The corn derby at DA-RCHD starts with their planting activities to showcase the performance of different hybrid corn varieties from private seed companies.

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Seven seed companies participated in this year’s Corn Derby of the DA-10 Corn Program in the agency’s Research Center for Hilly Land Development (RCHD) in Lanise, Claveria, Misamis Oriental.

The participating seed companies simultaneously planted their hybrid corn variety in a 2-hectare demonstration farm in the RCHD during the ceremonial planting led by DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Operations, Carlota S. Madriaga on Wednesday, October 27.

The derby will feature production technologies of various genetically modified (GMO) hybrid corn varieties of the following seed companies: Asian Hybrid Seed Technologies, Inc., Corteva Agriscience, Bioseed Research Phillipines, Inc., Evo Gene Seeds Corporation, Bayer Crop Science Philippines, Syngenta Philippines, Inc., and Green and Grow Technologies Inc.

Hybrid GMO corn varieties are commercially produced mainly as raw materials for animal feeds, that are high-yielding, and highly resistant to pest and disease, thus preferred by most corn farmers.

The derby will run for approximately four months until the corn matured and is ready for harvest. A Field Day will be held to culminate the derby.

Through this, participating seed companies will present their seeds’ performance, highlighting the yield for each demonstrated variety vis-a-vis the production cost, as well as the technologies applied.

According to Richan Lacanaria, DA-10 Corn Program Focal Person, the undertaking will help local farmers to identify the best corn variety to be grown in their area.

“We look forward to continuously stage the Corn Derby in the years to come. The activity is instrumental to our goal of providing our corn farmers the best quality corn seeds,” Lacanaria accounted.

The DA-10 Corn Program debuted the Corn Derby in 2019. Since then it has become a trademark activity, conducted annually as part of the DA’s extension service to the corn farmers in the region.

“This Corn Derby is a manifestation of our commitment to bring our services closer to the farmers. With this activity, we hope that our corn farmers will be able to augment their production, through the technologies imparted by our partner seed companies” Director Madriaga remarked.# (ATTalib)

The groundbreaking ceremony signals the construction of the rain harvesting structure at DA’s research complex.

DALWANGAN, MALAYBALAY, BUKIDNON, October 26 – The Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of various irrigation projects at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex.

The P2.460 million worth of projects which is also known as the rain harvesting structure target to irrigate farmlands in adjoining areas.

It comprises a sprinkler system amounting to P855,750.00, a water impounding unit (P828,441.48), and the rehabilitation of the small farm reservoir costing P775, 644.68.

Funded under the Bayanihan Act II, the project is expected to be completed by the end of November, this year.

Leading the ceremony is DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, in the presence of Regional Agricultural Engineering Division Chief Engr. Deliza T. Camaro and other DA-10 personnel. # (EMBentulan)