Four hundred eight farmers of Binalonan received on November 27-28 free certified rice seeds from the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) of the Department of Agriculture during the Distribution Program held at the Binalonan Events Tent.
After securing stubs, video showing, verification of documents and picture identification, the listed and walk-in recipients were given two bags each of NSIC Rc 358, aย Phil Rice tested and recommended rice variety for Region I.
Binalonan Municipal Agriculturist Ricardo Tabuac informed that 1636 bags with 20 kilos per bag of certified seeds amounting to Php 1,145,200, were supposed to be distributed to the listed and walk-in recipients from the 24 barangays of Binalonan.
Cleofe Martinez-Jacob, municipal agricultural technologist, said the distribution of the certified seeds will continue on December 7.
Bryan Pungtilan, RCEF focal person, gave an overview of RCEF-Seed Allocation Program and informed that PhilRice would distribute free certified seeds to farmers within the next six years.
The farmers are expected to plant their seeds this December and to harvest early part of March.