The Department of Agriculture in the Caraga Region (DA-13) distributed PHP5.5 million worth of discount vouchers to rice farmers in Madrid, Surigao del Sur, on Thursday.
In a statement, DA-13 said the 2,624 vouchers cover 2,888 hectares of rice fields and include subsidies for fertilizer, bio-fertilizer, and soil ameliorant.
The agency also announced plans to distribute vouchers to farmers in other towns in Surigao del Sur from February to March.
For the entire province, DA-13 allocated PHP8.2 million for seed discount vouchers covering 1,650 hectares, PHP51 million for fertilizer vouchers covering 15,024 hectares, PHP6.9 million for bio-fertilizer vouchers covering 6,967 hectares, and PHP11.6 million for soil ameliorant vouchers covering 10,450 hectares.
Additionally, PHP2.9 million was allocated for drone discount vouchers to cover 1,450 hectares of rice fields.
In a separate distribution, the local government of Claver, Surigao del Norte, released over PHP1.5 million worth of vouchers to 345 rice farmers. The vouchers included PHP840,381 for fertilizer, PHP433,767 for bio-fertilizer, and PHP294,473 for soil ameliorant.
Claver Mayor Georgia Gokiangkee underscored the importance of the initiative in supporting local farmers and boosting agricultural productivity. (PNA)
