BUTUAN CITY – In its commitment to continue without let up its assistance to farmers in Caraga region in spite of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA) based here is targeting a production area of 2,766 hectares for cassava production in Caraga region.
In its target number of hectares for the current year, the DA 13 is eyeing to have a production of 24,322 metric ton (MT) for cassava.
“DA is focusing its support to the farmers to stand amidst the pandemic we’ve experienced nowadays,” Regional Executive Director (RED) Abel James I. Monteagudo said.
To hit this target, DA-Caraga has been supporting Caraga farmers with production inputs, pre and post-harvest facility as well as technical support to help the farmers become prosperous and resilient.
Currently, the regional office of DA 13 extended farm equipment in Agusan.
DA-Caraga distributed various post-harvest equipment in support to cassava and corn farmers in Butuan City and Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte delivered right at their doorsteps.
Recipient of the said equipment were two farmers associations in Butuan City and six in Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte.
The equipment distributed were four units of cassava chipper; four units of cassava granulator; and one unit each of vacuum pack sealer, cassava grater, cassava pulverizer, cassava digger, and a corn mill amounting to P2 million pesos.
“With these equipments, the flame of the passion of Caraga Farmers (CF) to plant keep on flickering,” also said DA 13 Regional Spokesperson Emmylou T. Presilda, in an exclusive interview with The Manila Bulletin on Saturday.
This is how the farmers in the town of Las Nieves, Agusan del Norte feels after receiving farm equipment from the Department of Agriculture-Caraga recently, she added.
One of the recipients is the Lingayao Kahayagan Cassava Farmers Association who received cassava chipper, granulator, pulverizer, and a digger.
“I am looking forward that comes harvest, cassava digger can help us to make harvesting easier, and we may engage in processing using the equipment we have from DA,” Roberto Calapre, president of the association said.
Lingayao Kahayagan Cassava Farmers Association currently planted around 20 hectares of cassava and set to harvest comes yearend.
“Though it is our first time to plant cassava, I am optimistic that something good will happen with the support from DA,” Calapre said.
DA-Caraga through the Agribusiness and Marketing Division (AMAD) and the LGU of Las Nieves has been assisting the association to market their products at a good price.
DA-Caraga is continuously supporting Caraga farmers with production inputs, pre and post-harvest facility as well as technical support to help the farmers become prosperous and resilient, RED Monteagudo added.