“We can improve our yield with technologies introduced by the Department of Agriculture and we can process more peanut-based products if we get funding from the Philippine Rural Development Project,” Mr. Basilio Calimag, co-chair of Enrile Peanut Industry Council  (EPIC) said during the Field Day on Technology Demonstration on the use of Boron Fertilizer in Lanna, Enrile, Cagayan.

The Municipal Government of Enrile headed by Mayor Miguel “Jun” Decena Jr. has forged a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with DA PRDP  for possible funding, especially enterprises.

“We will sponsor the launching of peanut farms, peanut harvests, and peanut products, and we also vow to celebrate Enrile town’s Annual Peanut Festival to solidify the place of peanut farmers in the front line of our agricultural program,” Mayor Decena said in his speech.

He added that the municipality of Enrile will assist peanut-related researches and help in the optimum dissemination and application of modern methods of peanut farming, and replication of appropriate technologies to maximize productivity.

The Field Day is organized by the Department of Agriculture Southern Cagayan Research Center (DA SCRC) headed by Engr. Blesita Tega with farmer-cooperators, all peanut growers in Lanna who presented testimonies on the use of boron fertilizer.

Declared in 2015 as the peanut capital of the Philippines, Enrile has topped other municipalities with its production of 1.8 tons per hectare. Farmers also grow peanut during the wet and dry season.

Enrile is home to 800 peanut farmers cultivating 700 hectares of farmlands with a potential expansion area of another 800 hectares. With improved production and yield, Enrile may be able to fill up a portion, if not all, of the import requirement for peanut of 15,060 metric tons.

“We know it’s a long way to go. But with a positive note and perseverance, we hope our cooperative will eventually emerge and have funding from PRDP,” Calimag enthused.

He is the chairman of the Board of Directors of Enrile Multi-purpose Cooperative and they are selling skinless, adobo, oven-baked, and sugarcoated peanuts in colorful packs.

“This September is slated for commodity prioritization, proponent group selection, and business planning sessions as they have already done initial data gathering,” Calimag said.

“We hope to complete these activities with the help of RPCO 2, PLGU Cagayan, and MLGU Enrile,” the Proponent Group head ended. (Ferdinand N Cortez, RPCO2 InfoACE Unit)