Author: ICTSadmin

LEGAZPI CITY, ALBAY | September 15, 2022 – Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority Bicol reached out to 155 farmers from different barangays in Legazpi City on the safe and judicious use of agricultural inputs and promoted the use of Balanced Fertilization Strategy (BFS) during the rice season-long training at Good Grass Farm, Happy Homes Subdivision, Brgy. Pawa, Legazpi City last September 12-14, 2022.

Regional Officer (RO) Gabriel Atole started his discussion with topics on soil health, fertilizer application, plant growth promoters, and BFS. In his discussion, he reiterated that applying BFS could help minimize the dependency on inorganic fertilizer.

BFS is a program recommended by FPA and other DA agencies that applies the 4Rs in fertilization: Right Source, Right Placement, Right Amount, and Right Rate to help enhance soil health and productivity, prevent declining soil fertility, and improve fertilizer availability and costs.

Moreover, Provincial Officer (PO) Winsor Nueva discussed the general information about pesticides and its label, safe handling, possible chemical hazards, and prevention of pesticide poisoning. He highlighted the importance of reading the pesticide label before buying, mixing, applying/spraying, storing, and disposing.

The farmers were reminded to purchase registered fertilizer and pesticide (f/p) products from FPA-licensed dealers only and warned them of the possible presence of fake and off-specifications fertilizers. They were advised to contact the assigned PO in their area or visit the FPA Region V Facebook page and the FPA website in case of doubt about their purchased f/p products.

The rice season-long training on the Production of High-Quality Inbred Rice, Seed Certification, and Farm Mechanization was organized by the Agricultural Training Institute (ATI) as part of the Rice Extension Services Program (RESP) under the implementation of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

RESP aimed to provide and improve the knowledge, attitude, skills, and practices of the RCEF beneficiaries in producing more rice and reducing production costs through training. ###

MARINDUQUE | September 12, 2022 – A total of 503 rice farmers were reached as FPA RFU IV joined the Department of Agriculture’s (DA) fertilizer distribution through Fertilizer Discount Voucher Program in Boac on September 2, 2022, in Mogpog on September 6-7, 2022, and in Gasan on September 8-9, 2022, municipalities of Marinduque.

Dr. Lucila J. Vasquez of DA IVB – Agricultural Program Coordinating Office of Marinduque spearheaded the program, together with Agriculturists Mr. Isabelo M. Zamora and Mr. Rafaim L. Regis of the Rice Banner program, and assisted by Mr. Edilberto De Luna from the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist through the Rice Focal Person Ms. Sherry Dee L. Marciano and different Municipal Agriculture Offices.

As part of the program, the FPA Provincial Officer (PO) Mark Nicky S. Larga discussed the Balanced Fertilization Strategy (BFS) Program and provided updates on the fertilizer price situation and proliferation of fake fertilizers.

BFS is a strategy recommended by DA to address the problems of the rising cost of fertilizer, land degradation, and decline in soil fertility through adjustments in the cropping and management systems. Through BFS, FPA and DA aims to lessen the dependency on commonly used chemical fertilizer and give enough balanced nutrients for plant growth.

Since soil analysis is very important in this strategy, PO Larga informed the farmers that they could use technologies such as leaf color chart which is also now available on android application, rice crop manager, and soil test kit. To support the campaign, DA APCO provided foliar fertilizer to rice farmer beneficiaries.

PO Larga also reminded the farmers to be cautious in buying fertilizer products and only purchase from a licensed dealer. Fortunately, there were no fake products identified by the time the FPA conducted inspection and monitoring of handlers in Marinduque.

In addition, information materials such as Abonong Swak of the Department of Agriculture, Gabay sa Tamang Pagggamit ng Abono at Gabay sa Tamang Paggamit ng Pestisidyo were given to the farmers. Actual inspection and random weighing of fertilizer products were also done before the distribution proper. ###

LIPA CITY | September 16, 2022 – Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA) CALABARZON-MIMAROPA Regional Officer (RO) Suzettie M. Alcaide and Batangas Provincial Officer (PO) Georlene P. Orbista discussed the proliferation of fake and off-specification fertilizers at the 3rd Quarter Regional Management Committee (RMC) meeting on September 13, 2022, in DA LARES Conference Room, Maraouy, Lipa City, Batangas.

During the meeting, RO Alcaide highlighted the ongoing fertilizer situation, particularly the proliferation of fake and off-specification fertilizers in the market. She assured the members that FPA is strictly monitoring and working closely with the fertilizer handlers in the region to address this issue.

Furthermore, she presented the list of fertilizer handlers with suspension orders on their License to Operate (LTO) and asked the members of RMC, especially those member agencies who work closely with the farmers, to disseminate the information to them.

In response, the member agencies guaranteed to help FPA in informing the farmers and suggested different strategies to improve the circulation of critical information to avoid communication gaps.

The following strategies were proposed:

1. Utilization of social media platforms and radio programs aired by the DA RFO-IVA radio station;

2. Monthly bulletin of registered handlers signed by the FPA Director and send it to the different DA regional offices and the local government units; and

3. Utilization of the RMC network wherein the FPA will provide regular updates to the member agencies through the RMC Secretariat.

Department of Agriculture Regional Field Officer (DA RFO) IV-A OIC Regional Executive Director, Engr. Abelardo R. Bragas presided over the said meeting and was attended by the heads of 19 member agencies who also provided updates on the implementation of their respective programs. ###

SAN FERNANDO, LA UNION | September 12, 2022 – Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority Regional Field Unit (FPA RFU) I conducted series of random inspections in 47 fertilizer and pesticide handlers in the Province of La Union last September 6-9, 2022.

During the Clean-Up Drive (CUD) operations, 13 handlers were found operating without a license, 14 dealers without ASD accreditation, and two (2) with expired licenses. As a result, 29 out of 47 handlers were issued with Notice of Violations (NoVs) and were expected to comply with all the requirements in the following days.

Dealers without ASD accreditations were invited to attend the ASD training on September 22-23, 2022. ASD is a prerequisite for acquiring License to Operate (LTO) as fertilizer and pesticide handler.

On the other hand, two (2) store owners were issued with Stop, Use, Move, Sale (SUMS) orders for selling off-specs inorganic fertilizers. Field technicians of the concerned companies were immediately informed, and they were obliged to pull out their products as soon as possible.

Further, the team conducted an ocular inspection in a Vietnamese vessel carrying fertilizers from China and monitored the unloading of inorganic fertilizers. The team also collected fertilizer samples, which were sent to the FPA Laboratory Services Division (LSD) for confirmatory analysis. The results are expected to be released within 20 working days.

The team was composed of Regional Officer Joseph Andre John O. Martinez, Provincial Officers Medardo Santiago, Melecio L. Chos-chos, John Mark Manangan, and Noel M. Tablada. ###