Koronadal raises incentives for organic farm produce

Emelita Miguel, city agriculture officer, said Wednesday organic producers in the city may now receive cash incentives of as high as P10 per kilo for validated produce reaching the local markets. (Pixabay photo)

KORONADAL CITY— The city government has increased its incentives for organic farm products in a bid to encourage more local farmers to practice and venture into organic farming.

Emelita Miguel, city agriculture officer, said Wednesday organic producers in the city may now receive cash incentives of as high as P10 per kilo for validated produce reaching the local markets.

She said they offer an incentive of P3 a kilo for organic rice and P10 per kilo for vegetable products, except for squash and cucumber that are set at P2 a kilo.

Producers of organic chickens will get P10 a kilo and P5 per kilo for organic eggs as incentives, she said.

Miguel said their office is currently considering to include more organic farm products into the incentive program.

This includes organic pork meat products, which City Mayor Peter Miguel had promised to provide an incentive of P20 a kilo.

“Our goal is to develop more organic farming practitioners and further expand our organic farms,” she said.

Since the program started about five years ago, around 200 organic farming practitioners in the city’s 27 barangays already received cash incentives, initially offered at P2 a kilo for organic rice, from the local government.

Earlier this month, 13 farmers received cash incentives ranging from P3,000 to 16,000 for their organic produce.

Around 100 farmers are currently growing organic rice, vegetables and into swine farming that covers over 50 hectares of farmlands.

Aside from the cash incentives, Miguel said they also facilitate trainings for prospective organic farming practitioners through the Farmer Field School supported by the Department of Agriculture in Region 12.

Under the program, farmers undergo hands-on training on various organic farming practices and technologies for four months or 16 weeks, starting from land preparation to harvest stage.