On Friday, September 15, Gov. Tamayo, with other local government officials and members of the Upper Valley Agriculture Cooperative (UVACO), kicked off the maiden harvest season of the CRPMP pilot site at Purok Roxas, Barangay Dajay, Surallah.
The area, managed by UVACO, comprises 210 hectares owned by 103 rice growers.
"We wished for an average of 8 tons per hectare, meaning 6 to 10 tons is OK. But when we checked, our harvest will be at least 10 tons per hectare," Tamayo said, citing results from the yield estimation using the crop cut method conducted by the Office of Provincial Agriculturist. Some areas, he added, are projected to produce as much as 12 tons per hectare.
An initial four-hectare area harvested on Friday morning produced 42.1 tons of palay or 10.5 tons per hectare.
On average, rice farmers in South Cotabato produce only around 4.6 tons per hectare using traditional rice management practices.
South Cotabato’s CRPMP is the first such rice production system initiated by a provincial government in the entire Philippines.
Under this scheme, at least 50 hectares of contiguous small rice farms are put together into a rice production block managed by a farmer cooperative. Five of these production blocks, or at least 1,000 hectares, are then combined to form a consolidated farm, operated as a corporation currently managed by the provincial government.
Farm preparation activities are highly mechanized using machines such as four-wheel-drive tractors, disc plows, precision seeders, walk-behind and riding-type transplanters, and others. Harvesting is also fully mechanized using rice combine harvesters.
To further ensure improved production, better income, and a higher return on investment, farmer cooperators are highly urged to follow recommended practices and technologies such as the use of hybrid seeds, synchronous planting, pest management, irrigation schedules, and many others.
Farmer Anthony Dofinas Sr. said farm mechanization has reduced costs and saved time. Dofinas noted that prior to CRPMP, a farm owner could spend at least P11,000 per hectare on land preparation. Under the fresh system, a farmer only needs about P5,000 for the labor of the tractor operator and fuel.
Speaking to the Philippine Information Agency, couple John and Mary Jane Diaz, whose farm was among the first harvested, were already expecting a better harvest and gains from joining the CRPMP.
“Basta dako gid ang income; bentaha gid sa mga farmers. Gamay gasto [Income is excellent; it’s a real advantage for farmers. Expenses are lesser],” Mrs. Diaz said.