By Nanette Guadalquiver
BACOLOD CITY, (PNA) — Executive Director Eufemio Rasco Jr. of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) stressed the need for the country to be globally competitive in terms of rice quality and production.
Rasco, who spoke at the Negros Rice Festival 2013 program at the PhilRice Negros Station in Barangay Cansilayan, Murcia Monday, said this should be achieved to lessen the importation of rice.
He also reminded Negrenses not to waste rice and consume what is only necessary, adding that they should also eat other staples such as kamote (sweet potato) and saba banana variety.
PhilRice Negros Officer-in-Charge Edgar Libeterio expressed his gratitude to the provincial government headed by Gov. Alfredo Marañon Jr. for their support.
He also urged Negrense farmers and other agriculture stakeholders to continue their endeavors in making the province rice sufficient.
Executive Assistant to the Gov. Angel Verdeflor lauded the farmers for their hard work in providing rice to every Negrense’s table.
Verdeflor also encouraged farmers to continue working with the provincial government to attain food sustainability and sufficiency.
In its quest for rice self-sufficiency, Negros Occidental’s palay production has continually increased in the past three years.
In 2010, palay output reached 436,308 metric tons (MTs), putting Negros Occidental in the 10th spot of the country’s top rice-producing provinces.
Production further increased to 471,599 MTs in 2011, with the province securing the ninth place.
In 2012, the province registered 581,974.50 MTs, or more than 23 percent more than the previous year’s production.