Agriculture

Crop Production. In terms of land use, Naga City remains primarily an agricultural city. Of the city’s total land area of 8,448 hectares, 4,550.24 hectares or 53.86 percent are used for agricultural purposes.

The City Agriculturist Office reported for 2009 that rice production contracted by 20% (from 6,504 for 2008 to 5,230), reversing the 42% increase registered in 2007. This is mainly due to smaller hectarage (from 1,691 hectares to 1,469) and lower farm yield from an average of 3.84 to 3.42 tons per hectare), reversing gains made in 2008. There are 732 rice farmers that rely on 220 Public solar dryers and 16 private solar dryers. An estimated 1.9 metric tons used the public dryer and one (1) mechanized flatbed dryer while 377 corn farmers reported an estimated 290.075 metric tons of corn utilized the public solar dryers and the mechanized flatbed dryer.. There is no data available on the use of the 16 private solar dryer. Corn production, on the other hand, recovered lost ground, reversing the 11% decrease in 2008 yield level by hiking output from 3,134 metric tons to 3,752, a worthy 20 % increase.

Number of Agricultural Farmers

It can be noted that 60 percent of palay are dried in public solar dryer, 35 percent in private solar dryer and 5 percent in mechanized flatbed dryer.

The implementation an agricultural loan assistance program under the Sustainable Agriculture for Rural Income Growth (SARIG) will significantly help the farming sector. In its maiden year of implementation, 63% of the PhP 549,000.00 loaned to 54 rice farmers in 8 barangays of the city have been repaid. Meanwhile, 52% out of the PhP 41,000.00 lent out to 11 cutflower farmers have been paid back, ensuring that these funds can be rolled over to benefit other farmers. There were 87 farmers who availed the city’s farm tractor services who have paid 90% of the total PhP198,700.00 collectibles, their combined farm lots totalled to 166 hectares. On the other hand, 67% of the 68 farmers have paid back the PhP122,000.00 collectible from flat bed dryer services – the mechanized service offering of the city.

It has identified portions of barangays San Felipe, Pacol, Carolina, San Isidro and Cararayan as the key grain areas of Naga, while commercial crops are grown also in some areas of barangays Panicuason, Carolina, Cararayan and San Isidro. In barangays where diversified grain is grown, after harvest, the areas are planted with corn and different types of vegetables

At present, the total existing agricultural area is 4,550.24 hectares. A total of 889.8524 hectares are allotted to 1,398 beneficiaries of Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP) However, some areas were converted to other uses because some of CARP beneficiaries opted to sell their lots to private individuals/entities.

It can be noted from the above table that we are only sufficient in corn production while we are deficient in other agricultural commodities as projected. Agricultural production is affected by land conversion, high cost of farm inputs and low price at harvest time.

Livestock and Poultry

Livestock. For the year 2009, Naga City has a total livestock population of 61,058 which underscores the fact that Naga has a thriving swine-raising industry where 8 commercial farms are the main players together with 2,040 backyard swine, cattle, carabao, goats and sheeps raisers.

These farms are mostly found in Naga’s key livestock development areas which comprise the barangays of Cararayan, Del Rosario, Concepcion Pequeña, Carolina,Balatas, Panicuason, Mabolo San Felipe, Concepcion Grande, San Isidro and Pacol. The local livestock industry provide sizeable employment to 3,050 Nagueños.

Livestock Employment

Existing farm technologies complementing these are breeding stations, extension services, technical institutions, agricultural schools. The local agriculture office provides the necessary training and technologies.

In 2009, the total production of the local livestock industry runs as high as 61,058 heads with an estimated value of Php 43,484,260.00 million.

The City Abattoir Office reported the number of heads slaughtered animals, hogs-59,203; cow-2,287; carabao-2,660; goat-559 for year 2007. For 2008, hogs-51,248; cow-2.065; carabao-2,597; goat-675 and for year 2009, hogs-57,621; cow-2,289; carabao – 2,276; goat-677 as shown below:

Graph below shows the total weight of slaughtered animals for the last three years.

Shown below is the total income derived from slaughtered animals for the last three years.

Joint Agribusiness Ventures

New investments by enterprises made of a farmers’ association or cooperative– contributing land and other resources– and a partner firm– contributing technology, managerial expertise, market linkages and capital– resulting in the integration and modernization of farm production, processing and marketing.

These may be set up in any of the agricultural areas of the city.

• November 30th 2010
• Posted in Agriculture, Economic Development
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