Monthly Regional Agricultural Situation Report

ZAMBOANGA PENINSULA, June 2010

1. CROPS  
• In Manicahan, Zamboanga City, irrigated palay farms were fully planted and on vegetative stage. Some areas at Culianan and Bolong, Zamboanga City were on land preparation as rainfall started. Standing corn crops were on vegetative and flowering stages with good growth owing to sufficient water supply. Mango trees were harvested, thus lower price was noted.
• Most corn farms in Zamboanga del Norte were on reproductive stage. An estimated 5.0 hectares of corn planted under the coconut trees were damaged because of strong wind that occurred during middle of the month. Meanwhile, peak harvesting of mango, watermelon, avocado and other fruits in season was noted.
• Some fruitbearing coconut trees in Bululawan, Lakewood Zamboanga del Sur were infected by bud rot disease and about 2.0 hectares of corn in Bubual, San Pablo were infested by army worm.
• Most of the corn areas were on reproductive stage particularly in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay.
2. FISHERIES  
• Seaweed production continued as a means of livelihood, particularly, among farmers who migrated in Zamboanga City from troubled areas of neighboring provinces.
• Fishpond operators opted to harvest their stocks to take advantage of good market during the Hudyaka affair of Zamboanga del Norte in celebration of its founding anniversary. Likewise, marine species were still in season resulting from the prolonged hot weather which enhanced growth of algae.
• In Zamboanga del Sur, volume of fish catch increased by about 5 percent during the month. Species like skipjack, yellow fin, frigate tuna and roundscad contributed to the bigger volume catch.
• The Department of Agriculture and LGU-Ipil presented a Payawan Project to all coastal barangays in Ipil. This project worth P180,000.00 hoped to benefit the fishermen in the municipality.
3. PRICES AND MARKET SUPPLY  
• In Zamboanga City, retail prices of mango were pegged lower by P5.00 per kilogram because of abundant local supply. Prices of fish went up by P5.00-P10.00 per kilogram compared to last month because of weather disturbances.
• Retail prices of fruits like mango, watermelon, and avocado significantly decreased in the producing municipalities of Zamboanga del Norte. Prices per kilogram of carabao mango variety ranged from P12.00-P15.00; those of watermelon P7.00-P10.00; and avocado P10.00-P15.00. Other fruits in season showed the same price trend.
4. INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, PROGRAMS, POLICIES AND GOVERNMENT INVENTIONS  
• Tiange-tiange at DA RFU IX commenced on June 22, 2010. Under this event, agricultural products were on sale at farmgate prices. This fair which lasted for one week was in commemoration of the 112th DA Anniversary in Zamboanga City.
• The city government of Dipolog through the City Agriculture Office learned a new technology from Japan that was called the Mini Vermi Composting Program. The program taught how to produce organic fertilizer known as the small scale vermin compost. The said technology was handled by the Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM). The city government received one (1) shredder and 15 kilograms of earthworm from the BSWM. The shredder was used to grind the waste material so that it can easily be rotten and then sprayed with a type of bacteria which was processed in Japan. The earthworm was added in order to produce organic liquid fertilizer. At present, processing station is located infront of the Olingan Barangay Hall. Testing of the said fertilizer produced good result as the private sector was encouraged to try it.
• The Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) distributed 200 bags of fertilizer to rehabilitate the coconut farms in Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur. This volume of fertilizer was enough to cover about 50.0 hectares of coconut areas. Meanwhile, in Kumalarang, the DENR extended 10,000 mangrove seedlings to rehabilitate the coastal areas.
• In Tungawan, the MAO dispersed vegetable seeds to farmers as part of the "Plant now-pay later plan" and the GULAYAN NG BAYAN PROGRAM. This covered only the municipalities of Tungawan and Mabuhay with 4.39 and 2.0 hectares that were planted, respectively. Seeds dispersed were ampalaya, eggplant and string beans. The program also included the dispersing of rubber seedlings.
• Some 82 heads of carabao and cattle were artificially inseminated in the barangays of Kalilangan, Kapamanok, Miasin and Poblacion of San Pablo, Zamboanga del Sur.
• The municipality of Ipil in coordination with the PVET and the Department of Agriculture conducted an artificial insemination on large animals. This is a continuing activity starting on June 14, 2010 up to July 10, 2010.
• Seeding of 100,000 tilapia fingerlings in barangay Lintugop, Aurora and in the rivers of Tambulig, Zamboanga del Sur was undertaken by BFAR.
5. TRAINING, SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS AND MEETINGS
• A total of 134 farmer beneficiaries from different agrarian reform communities of Zamboanga del Norte benefited from the series of natural farming system training. This was conducted by the DAR Beneficiaries Development and Coordination Division under the foreign-assisted project, "Agrarian Reform Community Project Phase II". The participants of the said training were comprised of 16 indigenous people, 56 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBS) and 63 non ARBS. This was in response to the clamor of farmers for continuous education and implementation of support services. This farming system encouraged the use of natural resources and adopt low cost and environment–friendly method of cultivating lands. It also aimed to address the problems on poverty and sustain productivity and bigger income of farmers.
• The Season Long Training on Palay Check was on-going at the Casa Emsa, Pagadian City. The said training was being participated in by rice technicians coming from the different municipalities of Zamboanga del Sur. The training will run until August.
• The Office of the Provincial Veterinarian and the Municipal Livestock Council (MLC) of all 16 municipalities of Zamboanga Sibugay had a meeting on livestock updates and situation and also to inform the MLCs that the said organization was officially registered at the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The meeting was held at the MAO in Imelda, Zamboanga Sibugay last June 22, 2010. The PVET also conducted outreach program/activities at Kawayan, Alicia where they conducted deworming and vitamins supplementation to animals as part of the 112th Anniversary celebration of DA last June 23, 2010.
6. WEATHER SITUATION  
• Moderate to heavy rains occurred during the night and early morning in Zamboanga City and Zamboanga Sibugay. Sporadic rainfall sufficed planting crops and land preparation for rainfed palay farms in Zamboanga del Norte. Sunny days with occasional rainshowers were generally experienced in Zamboanga del Sur . Thisb was influenced by the low pressure area and the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ).