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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider 'Disadvantageous than helpful': Peasant group hits hybrid seed program

'Disadvantageous than helpful': Peasant group hits hybrid seed program

Published Feb 19, 2023 06:45 pm

For Filipino farmers, hybrid seeds are no longer needed for the country to achieve rice self-sufficiency.

Peasant group Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) hit the national government’s plan to maximize the use of hybrid seeds, calling it “more disadvantageous than helpful.”

(Manila Bulletin File Photo)

“Dapat malinaw ang polisiya ng gobyerno. Dapat prayoridad ang food production (The government’s policy should be clear. Food production should be a priority),” said KMP Chairman emeritus Rafael Mariano on Saturday, Feb. 18.

“Kung ‘yung 4.8 million hectares harvested area for rice natin at mapataas ang yield ng 5 hanggang 6 na tonelada kada ektarya, maaabot natin ang self sufficiency at hindi na kailangan mag import (If we increase the yield of our 4.8 million hectares of harvested rice by 5 to 6 tons per hectare, we will reach self-sufficiency and there will be no need to import),” the peasant leader added.

One of the disadvantages of “genetic uniformities,” according to Mariano, is that the loss will be greater if a field gets hit by a disease, pest, or virus. Not only that, hybrid seeds are costly, hence, it will also “bury” farmers in debt, Mariano stressed.

“Kaming mga mag magsasaka ang nakakakita kung anong binhi ng palay ang matatag, hindi madaling dumapa at resistant at hindi kayang pasukin ng mga sakit (We, farmers, are the ones who see which rice seeds are strong, resistant, and cannot be penetrated by diseases),” he added.

The national government’s hybrid seed program targets production in Panay, Eastern Visayas, SOCCSKSARGEN, and BARMM according to KMP.

Related Tags

Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) Filipino farmers hybrid seeds hybrid seeds program Rice production
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