Farmers to be given vouchers for biofertilizer procurement next year — DA exec

The Department of Agriculture (DA) on Thursday said farmers will be given vouchers to procure their preferred brand of biofertilizers next year.

Agriculture Undersecretary Leocadio Sebastian was asked if the department will provide vouchers to farmers and if they will be given the freedom to choose the supplier and brand of biofertilizer.

“Yun ang ating plano, pagka ngayong taon parang promotion [at] procurement muna ngayon but next year bibigyan na sila ng voucher na pwede na silang pumili ng gusto na biofertilizer. So ipapalit yung voucher kung ano ang magandang biofertilizer na nakita nila at yun ang kanilang gagamitin,” Sebastian said at the public briefing.

(That's our plan, this year it's like promotion and procurement first, but next year they will be given a voucher that they can choose the biofertilizer they want. So the voucher will be exchanged for the good biofertilizer that they found and will use.)

The DA official earlier said Memorandum Order No. 32 on biofertilizers will serve as a guide for regional offices on its distribution and use that will increase yield and promote growth in rice production

Sebastian said this memorandum will prevent another “fertilizer scam,” adding that the guidelines will have a “fair, transparent, and sure” implementation in the use of biofertilizers.

Asked on when will be the full implementation of the program, “Ang plano natin, kasi ang nakita yung performance ng biofertilizer talagang mas maganda pagtag-araw so mga October, November doon na magsisimula yung programa ng large scale ng biofertilizer.”

(Our plan is because we saw that the performance of biofertilizers is really better in the dry season, so around October, or November that's when the large-scale program of biofertilizers will start.)

Sebastian previously said that the department will ask Congress to allocate P1.9 billion for the implementation of biofertilizers next year.

Meanwhile, Senator Imee Marcos also recommended the distribution of cash vouchers for farmers as she also warned them of another fund scam. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News