• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
Victorias City in Negros Occidental has become the first local government unit (LGU) in the Philippines to institutionalize a partnership with the Philippine Sugar Research Institute (PHILSURIN) for the propagation of PSR 03-171, a high-yielding and pest-tolerant sugarcane variety.
In a statement, the city government said it formally turned over PSR 03-171 planting materials during an activity at Barangay V, Victorias City on Sept. 17, marking a milestone in efforts to bring research-developed sugarcane varieties closer to farmers.
PSR 03-171 is the product of more than a decade of PHILSURIN research and development involving breeding, selection, evaluation, field testing and propagation.
The variety is recognized for its tolerance to red-striped soft scale insect (RSSI), a pest-related concern that can affect sugarcane production, giving farmers a potential option for improving crop resilience and productivity.
The Victorias City-PHILSURIN partnership began during the administration of then-mayor and now Third District Rep. Javier Miguel Lopez Benitez.
While PHILSURIN has collaborated with other LGUs, the Victorias partnership was the first to be institutionalized through a formal memorandum of agreement.
The initiative has continued under Mayor Abelardo Bantug III, with the city government supporting the propagation and utilization of PSR 03-171 for local sugarcane farmers.
As part of the program, the city established a two-hectare primary seed farm where initial propagation activities were undertaken.
The planting materials were subsequently expanded through a 12-hectare secondary seed farm to increase the supply of quality planting materials.
Materials produced from the secondary seed farm were distributed to 50 expanded registered beneficiaries for actual field production.
The city government said the turnover represents the transition of more than a decade of scientific research into practical application, linking research, government support and farmers in efforts to strengthen sugarcane production.
Through its partnership with PHILSURIN, Victorias City aims to promote agricultural innovation while supporting a more resilient and sustainable sugar industry. | GPB
