Tobacco farmers in the City of Batac expressed a sigh of relief on Friday while watching their farmlands being harrowed for free.
To aid low-income farmers who are planting tobacco, the city government of Batac procured at least 10 units of tractors to provide free tractor services among the 19 tobacco-growing villages in the city.
“Tractor operators were hired by the city government and the fuel to be used is charged to the city government,” said Mayor Albert Chua in an interview Friday.
To avail of the free tractor service, he said the farmers must make a request at the City Agriculture Office and wait for their scheduled date.
Aside from helping farmers reduce their labor requirements and cost of production, the free tractor service was also launched to boost the farm mechanization program of the Department of Agriculture (DA).
Among the first recipients who availed of the free harrowing and deep plowing activities on Friday were farmers from Barangays Quiom, Baay, San Pedro, Magnuang, Sumader, Maipalig, Payao and San Mateo.
In time for the planting season, free agricultural inputs were also distributed to all farmers.
To date, the City Agriculture Office in Batac reported that at least 2,418 farmers were given hybrid yellow corn seeds with fertilizer, 380 recipients for mungbean, and 110 for peanut growers. The mungbean and peanut growers were likewise given soil ameliorants to improve their yield.
Some 425 garlic farmers were also given garlic bulbs while 185 farmers received onion bulbs as planting materials. Each recipient received sulfate and complete fertilizer subsidy.
Source: Philippines News Agency