PCA distributes white corn seeds to supplement rice production in Southern Leyte
By Rebecca Cadavos
Maasin City, Southern Leyte (5 August) -- The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) allocated at least 429 bags of glutinous white corn seeds throughout Southern Leyte municipalities, in order to sustain the rice production that is now considered one of the priority programs of the government, PCA Provincial Development Officer Manuel Sembrano reported.
Each municipality was allotted 20 bags of white corn seeds for them to help produce more crops as substitute for rice, Sembrano disclosed. They were distributed by the Coconut Development Officers assigned in their areas.
Sembrano urged those who availed to plant the seeds in between the coconut trees at least 2 meters away from the fruit trees. The seeds will expire in one year, he said. The longer the period of storage, the lower the substance of the corn produced, he added.
A 500-gram Bio Nitrogen (Bio-N) fertilizer will be also given to those who took the 20 bags of seeds, a microbial fertilizer for corn. It is used to convert the nitrogen from air into ammonia and fix at equivalent 40 kg of Nitrogen per hectare, it was learned.
The Department of Agriculture (DA) sees increase in corn harvest if Bio-N technology is used. One pack of BIO-N is mixed into 3 kg of corn seeds until the seeds are evenly coated, Sembrano explained.
The DA which supervises PCA has allocated funds for the provision of hybrid corn seeds for distribution to priority areas under Accelerated Hunger Mitigation Program under GMA Corn Program, it was learned.
Meanwhile, Sembrano appealed to the beneficiaries that although the program is a dole out, he encouraged to replace the seeds for at least 10 kilos so that others who wanted to avail can also benefit the glutinous white corn seeds. (PIA-Southern Leyte) [top]
