ILOILO—With fertilizer prices reaching as high as P2,700 per 50kg bag, rice farmers in the province are increasingly adopting the Minus-One-Element Technique (MOET), a soil diagnostic tool that identifies nutrient deficiencies in paddies and guides proper fertilizer use.
According to the Department of Agriculture’s Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, the average cost of six major fertilizer grades currently ranges from P840 to P2,700. For farmers like Marilyn V. Duco, 69, of Dumangas, the expense is overwhelming.
“Fertilizer is a major cost for us, and sometimes we feel like we’re just guessing what our rice plants truly need. With this MOET tool, we can finally know what fertilizer is applicable in our rice field, which means less waste and hopefully, better yields,” Duco said, noting she spends around P50,000 on fertilizer alone for her two-hectare farm.
Technology demonstration officers in Capiz and Negros Oriental reported that MOET findings have cut farmers’ fertilizer use by up to half. Similar success was observed in Surigao, where a farmer’s harvest increased by 36%—from 2.17t to 3.41t—on just 0.8ha.
In Iloilo, more than 100 techno-demo sites have been established across Tigbauan, Sta. Barbara, Dumangas, and Oton. Farmers are optimistic that soil testing will not only lower production costs but also improve efficiency and yields.
The DA-Philippine Rice Research Institute Negros is expected to release the initial MOET results within 30 to 45 days, followed by briefings to help farmers implement the recommended fertilizer practices.
