The Province of Negros Occidental has been nominated as a top performing province in rice production while the cities of San Carlos and Kabankalan and the town of Moises Padilla have been nominated for the local government unit category in the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achiever’s Award 2011 of the Department of Agriculture.

The agricultural extension workers of the three LGUs have also been nominated for the top performing AEWs, Edna Garde, manager of the Farmer’s Information and Technology Services Center of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist yesterday said.

The AEWs are Ramonita Ronquillo of Moises Padilla, Marianita Latoza of San Carlos, and Melba Bañares of Kabankalan, she said.

The DA will evaluate the rice production of every LGU and province from 2006 t0 2010 and first cropping of 2011, she added.

In 2006, San Carlos produced 6,052.74 metric tons of rice harvested in irrigated and rainfed areas and in 2011 it recorded 11,160.20MT for both irrigated and rainfed areas.

In the same year, Moises Padilla produced 13,101.76MT of rice harvested in irrigated and rainfed areas while in 2011, it produced 14, 101.52MT from both areas.

Kabankalan City also produced 26,450.67MT of rice from irrigated and rainfed areas while in 2010 it produced 16,485.18MT from both areas.

The city’s Agriculturist’s Office yesterday said it still has to harvest the last crop for 2011.

Garde said the production of rice from 2006 to first cropping of 2011 showed increases and this has contributed in attaining the rice sufficiency level of the province.

Dina Genzola, OPA senior agriculturist said provincial and local winners will receive project funds and cash awards for the AEWs, adding that the DA is giving out P100 million projects nationwide and P10 million cash awards.

The award aims to reach the rice self-sufficiency in the country by 2013 by increasing palay production to 5.34 million metric tons or 34.50 percent in three years, she said.

The top 10 provinces in the country will be awarded P5 million each worth of projects while top 10 LGUs will receive P1 million worth of projects, Genzola added.

Top 500 AEWs in the country will receive P20,000 cash each, she also said. Evaluators from the DA Region VI will start their inspection this month, she added.*LTG

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