The Lopez Sugar Central Mill District Development Council has increased the high yielding varieties of the mill district from 60.33 percent to almost 80 percent last crop year in 11 years since its founding.

When the mill introduced stringent standards in accepting canes due to the adoption of their core sampler, this forced the farmers to change their varieties (the former ones) to the newer HYVs, Oscar Gil Ascalon, Philsurin MDDC coordinator, said.

The two choices of district farmers remain VMC 86-550 and VMC 84-524 coming close on the heels of the first variety.

Ascalon, however, noted that the mixed variety is still combined with unknown varieties which is still substantial.

Most of the farmers don't know the full name of their varieties that is why there are a lot of errors in the recording of the new varieties. But there is no gainsaying that the high yielding varieties comprise 80/24 percent of the total canes delivered to the Lopez Sugar central, he added.

Israel Telis is the MDDC chairman with Ramon Peñalosa as the vice chairman. Daniel Buenafe is the secretary and Zolio Labiao the treasurer.

The association representatives to the MDDC are Eusebio Lopez and Julian La'O IV, ISEPI; Carlos Gargar and Michael Tingson, ISETPAI; Abelardo Hilado and Ramon Peñalosa, SAGESPLAS; Dulcelina Alob and Errol Puey, Clopa; Martin Carmona, PMA; Ronald Zayco and Jose Eusebio Lopez, ANAPI; Danilo Buenafe, Danilo Biscocho, SRA representatives.

The others are PFPC's Zoilo Labiao, LSC's Vermelina Frange, and Israel Telis while Herbie Macapal is the Nabinkalan (San Carlos) representative.*RLE

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