The Department of Agriculture – Philippine Rice Research Institute (DA-PhilRice) has awarded PHP84.96 million worth of certified rice seeds to farmers in Negros Occidental for this year’s wet cropping season.

Dina Genzola, officer-in-charge of the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, received the allocation during the turnover ceremony at the National Food Authority (NFA) warehouse here, from DA-PhilRice Negros Director Ommal Abdulkadil, in the presence of Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr., who visited Bacolod City and Negros Occidental on Thursday.

Implemented under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Seed Program, the distributed 96,550 20-kg. bags of certified inbred rice seeds will benefit more than 40,000 farmers listed under the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture.

“It will cover approximately 44,514 hectares of rice production areas,” the DA-PhilRice Negros said in a report.

This season, Kabankalan City received the highest seed allocation of 14,000 bags, followed by Bago City, with 13,000 bags.

The distributed certified rice seeds are part of the allocations amounting to PHP162.78 million for Negrense farmers for two planting seasons awarded by the DA-PhilRice to the province in January.

For the 2025 wet season, Negros Occidental expects to receive 118,592 bags with an estimated coverage area of 54,676 hectares, and for the 2026 dry season, the province has an allocation of 76,128 bags with an estimated coverage area of 35,096 hectares.

The seed allocations are for delivery from March to December this year. (PNA)