MORE than P5-million worth of Fertilizer Discount Vouchers (FDV) have been distributed to at least 1,093 rice farmers in IIoilo to enable them to apply sufficient urea fertilizer to their crops.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) Western Visayas and the Municipal Agriculture Office (MAO) distributed the FDVs with a total amount of P5,350,422.00 in the Municipality of San Rafael, Iloilo.

DA OIC-Regional Executive Director Jose Albert Barrogo said the intervention aims to increase the local production in Western Visayas, the third largest palay-producing region nationwide.

However, the region’s output fell from 2.356 million metric tons in 2021 to 2.321 million in 2022 due to typhoons and insufficient fertilizer application.

Barrogo explained that the farmers will use the FDVs, valued at P6,600.00 per hectare, to claim urea fertilizers at 165 DA-accredited merchants regionwide this 2022-2023 dry cropping season.

He, however, warned that sactions will be imposed against dealers and recipients if they will be caught converting their fertilizer vouchers into cash.

Meanwhile, DA Field Operations Division OIC-Chief Ester Ruth Torreverde disclosed that although Western Visayas is 133.78 percent self-sufficient in rice, it must still increase its production volume because surplus produce is intended to be distributed to deficient areas, such as Cebu and Negros Oriental.

Fertilizer costs have skyrocketed due to the global trade disruption created by the Russia-Ukraine conflict since last year and supply limits caused by the pandemic.

Torreverde also stressed that farmers must continue to plant despite the current high fertilizer price, but they would not be able to attain the target yield as they would resort to fertilizer underapplication.

She assured that the DA will continue to provide input subsidies to farmers, such as seeds, fertilizer, training, and cash assistance, to improve production and yield.

Torreverde added that the fertilizer vouchers are only intended for urea since it is the major nutrient element inadequate in most rice lands.

“However, this does not imply that you will only fertilize your rice with urea. You should also apply other key elements, including phosphorus and potassium, to attain favorable production and yield,” said Torreverde, who advised farmers in San Rafael, Iloilo, to use their vouchers to redeem their fertilizer subsidies not later than March 15 at the nearest merchants in Lemery and Barotac Viejo.

Farmers must present their printed fertilizer discount voucher and a valid primary ID when claiming their urea fertilizer. In the event that a farmer-beneficiary cannot directly claim and utilize the voucher due to health or emergency circumstances, a representative could claim on his behalf, provided he presents an authorization letter, the representative’s ID, and the photocopyof the farmer-beneficiary’s ID.

She also urged farmers to avail the DA’s free soil analysis service, so they determine the recommended kind and amount of fertilizer for rice, corn, and other crops grown in the municipality based on the soil requirements.

With the funding from the DA’s General Appropriations Act 2022, the 11 towns in Northern Iloilo have a total of P70,480,388.88 FDV allocation this cropping season.