VVooll. XXXXVVI NNoo. 3 A mmoonntthhlly ppuubblliiccaattiioon oof tthhe DDeeppaarrttmmeennt oof AAggrriiccuullttuurre MMaarrcch 22001111 DA Chief sees bright agri prospects The country is on its way to estimated by the DA’s Bureau of attaining rice self-sufficiency and Agricultural Statistics (BAS). food security. The projected production is 15% Thus, was the optimistic dec- more than last year’s harvest of laration of Agriculture Secretary 6.6 million tons for the same six- Proceso J. Alcala during the month period. agency’s 2012 internal budget The DA-BAS said the increase hearing and planning workshop, could be attributed to the expan- held March 1-4, 2011, at Clark, sion in harvest area by 9.6% Pampanga. (equivalent to 174,300 hectares) “We expect a good summer from the 1.82 million hectares in harvest, and more importantly (Pls turn to p2) Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala (left) and Trade and Indus- we are no longer the world’s big- try Secretary Gregory Domingo (3 rd rd from right) appreciate coconut gest importer,” he said during the coir geo-textile nets woven by lady workers at Pontmain Resources workshop, attended by more DA allots P50M Inc. (PRI), in Sta. Cruz, Davao City. The coco coir geo-nets, used than 100 DA family top officials. extensively as erosion control material, have huge export potential, He said the country will be im- for coffee sector estimated at $225 million annually. Photo also shows Phil. Coco- porting less than one million nut Administrator Euclides Forbes (2 nd nd from right) and PRI man- metric (MT) tons (or 860,000 The Department of Agriculture ager Paul Gaite (right). MT) versus more than two mil- will earmark an initial P50 million lion tons in 2010. to support the country’s coffee He added palay production for sector and may double it depend- the first semester may reach ing on favorable investor response. Turn coco fiber, peat into gold more than 7.6 million tons, as (Pls turn to p11) Coconut fiber and peat or dust dollars in exports, and provide could be turned into gold. additional income and livelihood Agriculture Secretary Proceso to hundreds of thousands of Rep. Pacquiao asks rice-eating Filipinos: J. Alcala said processing coco- small coconut farmers and their nut fiber and peat into geo-tex- families in the countryside. ‘Try corn, other staples’ tiles and organic fertilizer or soil The DA’s Philippine Coconut conditioner, respectively, could Authority (PCA) estimates that Proceso Alcala to make rice earn for the country millions of the country produces some 12 production more efficient. billion coconuts annually. A film crew contracted by the Phl to be declared “Collecting merely one-half or DA went to Cooyeesan Hotel six billion coconut husks, and Plaza in Baguio City, where the FMD-free soon processing these into coco geo- boxer has been training for a textiles and organic fertilizers, match with American boxer Agriculture Secretary Proceso the country could generate at Shane Mosley in May, to film J. Alcala is optimistic that the least $225 million annually,” said Pacquiao endorsing the food Philippines will soon be declared Sec. Alcala during the recent 1 stst project. as entirely free from the dreaded Coconut Coir Summit in Davao Pacquiao, who represents foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) by City. Sarangani in the House of Rep- the World Organization for Ani- PCA Administrator Euclides resentatives, said he has been mal Health or Office International G. Forbes revealed geo-textiles eating corn since he was 7 des Epizooties (OIE). or ‘cocomats’ serve as erosion Boxing champion Manny years old. With the declaration—to be for- control material that are laid on Pacquiao is the new face of the Corn is a staple in the malized in May during the 79th mountain slopes, river banks Department of Agriculture. Visayas and Mindanao, along- General Session of the World As- and dam embankments. Specifically, his role is to side rice. sembly of OIE Delegates in Coconut fibers are also trans- convince rice-eating Filipinos to DA Assistant Secretary Den- France—the country will gain a formed into twine or yarn, while try other staples instead. nis Araullo said the government foothold in the global meat mar- fine coco fibers are used in mak- The DA has embarked on a may need to “increase the pro- ket, particularly exports of pork ing beds or mattresses. Coco- campaign to urge Filipinos to duction of other crops to and poultry meat products, Sec. nut peat or dust is used as or- try other food, in light of a re- supplement rice as a staple Alcala said. ganic fertilizer, soil conditioner, form program being undertaken food … in order to meet food One opportunity is export of or animal beddings. by Agriculture Secretary (Pls turn to p3) Philippine pork products to South For every kilo of coconut husk, (Pls turn to p11) (Pls turn to p10) Editorial Maliit at malaki Nakikita natin na nasa maipapalabas ang hinihiling magkabilang dulo ang buhay nila na panibagong pondo, dito sa atin. Halimbawa, ang matutuloy na ang Phase 3 mga mayayaman ay sobrang ng MRDP. yaman. Kung mamili, ‘kala Ang masasabing mo pinupulot lang ang pera. malaking ipinag-iba ng Samantalang ang mahirap ay pamamalakad ni Sec. sobra rin sa hirap. Ganito rin Alcala ay ang mga ang naoobserbahan natin sa pamamaraang kanyang panahon. May mga araw na ginagamit at ang pag- sobrang init, mayroon anticipate sa mga namang sobrang lamig. problema. Nakita natin ito Ang pagiging nasa nang naiwasan ang pagtaas ng presyo ng gulay magkabilang dulo ng mga Sec. Alcala (left) addresses top DA officials during their 2012 inter- bagay-bagay ay kadalasang kahit pa umabot na sa nal budget hearing and planning workshop in Pampanga. With nakikita na magkasalungat. nagyeyelong temperatura him are DA undersecretaries Antonio Fleta (administration and Pero iba ang nakikita natin sa mga taniman ng gulay finance) and Joel Rudinas (field operations). ngayon dito sa agrikultura. sa Benguet. Maagap na Sa halip na magkasalungat, nakapagtanim ang mga DA chief sees .... (from p1) The DA 2012 internal budget ang malaki at maliit ay taga Region 2 at Region 4, 2010, and increase in average hearing and planning workshop nagtutulungan o dahilan para mapunan ng palay harvest per hectare to 3.8 was attended by all complementary at demand sa Metro Manila at tons (roughly 76 cavans of 50 ki- undersecretaries and assistant nagbibigay ng positibong karatig-bayan nito. los each) from last year’s 3.6 secretaries, and respective di- resulta. Bukod dito, tons. rectors and heads of 16 regional Una pa rin sa listahan ang ipinagpapatuloy din ang Sec. Alcala said palay produc- offices, eight bureaus, 26 at- pagkukumpuni ng irrigation mga epektibong stratehiya tion will further increase for the tached agencies and corpora- facilities at pagtatatag ng na ginawa ng dating entire year, barring strong ty- tions, a dozen foreign-assisted phoons, with the completion of programs and projects, DA- post-harvest facilities. Ito ang administrasyon. Halimbawa irrigation system repairs, estab- OSEC services, and commod- nagbibigay ng long-term na nito ang paglalagay at lishment of more post harvest fa- ity banner programs. benepisyo sa magsasaka. tuluy-tuloy na pagsasaayos cilities, and construction of farm- “I urge everyone to strengthen Kasabay nito, mayroon ng mariculture parks. to-market roads particularly in Philippine agriculture via the ding mga initiatives ang DA Malaking tulong din sa Mindanao. Agri-Pinoy strategic framework, na masasabing maliliit na livestock industry ang He said these and other DA and prioritize major programs on hakbang para matupad ang inaasahang pagdeklara ng interventions in partnership with food staples self-sufficiency, itinakdang mga layon. buong bansa bilang foot local government units and farm- mariculture development, live- Kapansin-pasin na dito ang and mouth disease free, ers’ groups will all contribute to stock expansion, genetic im- dami ng bigas na without vaccination. propping up palay production to provement, disease control, a target year-end volume of 17.46 high-value crops development, Malaking tulong ito sa nakatakdang iangkat million tons. and strategic trading posts/mar- ngayong taon, na humigit- hangad na pag-export ng During the workshop he also ket linking,” the DA chief said. kumulang ay 1/3 lang ng produktong karne. took the opportunity to issue ini- “Sama-sama nating baguhin inangkat noong isang taon. Ang mga hakbang na ito tial marching orders to all DA of- ang kabuhayan ng ating mga Pinapalakas din ang at ang inaasahan pang mas ficials, highlighting President kababayan, at nang pakikipagtulungan ng DA sa maayos na pamamalakad, Aquino’s agriculture agenda this manumbalik ang kanilang mga lokal na opisyal. sa tulong na rin ng mga year and in 2012, and the Agri- tiwala sa pamahalaan (Together, Nakikipag-ugnayan tayo sa road maps, ang Pinoy strategic framework that let’s improve the livelihood of ourour kanila para makahingi ng makapagsusulong pa sa will serve as guide when crafting countrymen, so we can win and implementing DA programs back their trust),” Sec. Alcala tulong gaya ng financial agrikultura ng bansa. and services from 2011 to 2016. concluded. assistance sa mga farm Natutukoy na ang inputs, na makakatulong direksyon at pati na ang para magkaroon ng third mga konkretong mga is published monthly by the Department of Agriculture Information cropping. Isa pa ang programa, kaya’t asahan Service, Elliptical Road, Diliman, Quezon City. Tel. nos. 9288762 loc 2148, pakikipagkasundo ng DA sa natin ang patuloy na 2150, 2155, 2156 or 2184; 9204080 or tel/fax 9280588. This issue is availableble Social Welfare department, pagtaas ng produksyon, in PDF file. For copies, please send requests via email: [email protected]. na kung saan bibilhin nito kasabay ng pag-angat ng Editor-In-Chief : Noel O.