ROSALES-A proposal for a fertilizer subsidy scheme to help poor farmers as well as improve rice production in the country has been put forward by Engr. Rosendo So, chairman of the Abono partylist based here.

The proposal, titled “Buy Three, Take Three”, was forwarded to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap and the department is now studying the scheme.

So said the concept of the government matching every three bags of fertilizer purchased by the farmers is “based on our consultations with the farmers.”

“This is what the farmers really like”, he said.

Farmers have scored the more than 100 percent increase in fertilizer prices, from only P700 in October last year to the current P1,800 per bag.

So said the proposal is something that the government can afford, especially if taken in the context of the billions spent for rice importation to augment local production which has not been sufficient to meet local demand.

“Kaya ng gobyerno yun kasi yong binibibili ng gobyerno natin for one year ang pera na nawawala ang laki, billions,” he said.

So also pointed out the existing set up of the government providing discount coupons to farmers for fertilizer purchases is a “shallow solution” to the situation.

At least six bags of fertilizer are necessary for every hectare of palay farm. #

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