STO. TOMAS –Notwithstanding the mild effects of El Niño, the country’s agriculture sector is expected to grow by five to six per cent this year.

According to Agriculture Secretary Arthur Yap, who was in Pangasinan on Wednesday to monitor the province’s agricultural situation,  this year’s target is higher than in previous years but expressed confidence that it can be met considering the government’s commitment to the sector’s growth.

“It is only now that the target is bigger because the administration of President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo is very focused on agriculture”, he said.

At the same time, Yap said it is crucial to coordinate all efforts in agriculture and for farmers to cooperate by opening their minds to new planting techniques to improve their harvest.

“But of course, we need the prayers of the entire Philippine nation for the  weather to hold because even if we work very hard and our programs are correct, if the weather is not there to support, nothing will happen to us,” Yap said.

POND IN PANGASINAN

While on his province-wide inspection in Pangasinan, Yap noted some existing irrigation facilities without any water flowing all because the head water from the Agno River is no longer reaching them following the onset of the dry season.

He proposed the repair of a regulating pond in order to catch the water of the Agno River from upstream and enable some the 34,000 hectares of farm lands in eastern and central Pangasinan to be provided with year-round irrigation.

Yap has been designated as pointman for the North Luzon Agri-business Quadrangle composed of Northern Luzon and some parts of Central Luzon.

“If the regulating pond is not repaired, the water will just go to waste”, he said, assuring that there is money for the repair of the facility.

He said President Arroyo set aside P7 billion from now until 2011 to ensure that the regulating pond is working.

At the same time, Yap called on farmers who have vegetables to sell in bulk to contact the government’s agriculture offices in the region because the “bagsakan” markets in Metro Manila have room for all their harvests.-LM

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