Eleven thousand farmers from Quezon were awarded collectively a total of P165,000,000 under the Expanded Survival and Recovery Assistance Program for Rice Farmers (SURE Aid Program) of the Department of Agriculture on November 8, 2019 in the municipality of Sariaya.

The SureAid funds form part of the assistance of the government to rice farmers affected by the drop in price of palay or paddy rice.

Under the program, which is jointly implemented by the Agricultural Credit Policy Council and the LandBank of the Philippines, each rice farmer tilling one hectare or below farmland and is registered under the RSBSA will receive P15,000 cash loan.

“This credit assistance is payable in eight years at zero percent interest. They only have to pay P1,875 annually,” Dar said.

Aside from the loan, the Department will also be carrying out a buy 2 take 2 fertilizer program where farmers will receive 2 bags of Urea fertilizer for every 2 bags bought.

“We are putting these things in place because we want to make sure that Filipino farmers increase their production and income, and become more competitive,” he said.

The Department of Agriculture, with its new vision of a food-secure Philippines with prosperous farmers and fishers, is pushing for measures that will ensure better yield and economic gains in the countryside.

“Pataasin ang ani at kita ng mga magsasaka at mangingisda, iyan ang bagong pananaw ng Departamento,” he said.

During his visit in Quezon, Dar announced that the performance of Philippine agriculture for the 3rd quarter of the year reached 2.87%.

“Lumago ang sektor dahil sa inspirasyon at suporta ng ating Pangulo, kaya naman po tayo ay nagpapasalamat sa pagbibigay ng pansin at prayoridad sa agrikultura,” he said.

With the positive performance, the Secretary vowed to continue to enhance the proper and sustained implementation of programs and projects to further elevate the country’s agriculture and fisheries sector. ### (Adora D. Rodriguez, DA-AFID)