The Department of Agriculture IV-CALABARZON (DA-4A), led by OIC-Regional Executive Director Vilma M. Dimaculangan, assured continues provision of agricultural assistance to Quezon farmers for the improvement of the agriculture industry in the ‘Food Basket’ of CALABARZON, Quezon Province.

According to Director Dimaculangan during her radio interview, approximately sixty percent of the DA-4A’s annual budget for agricultural intervention is allocated for the province of Quezon. This is for the distribution of various production and marketing support materials such as rice, corn, and vegetable seeds, fertilizers, livestock, farm machineries, construction of processing facilities, and farm to market roads, to name a few.

“Ang Quezon ang may pinakamalaking [agricultural] area sa ating rehiyon at may kakayahang makapagsuplay ng pagkain sa CALABARZON at Metro Manila,” Director Dimaculangan said.

DA-4A is targeting Quezon to be the Chocolate Capital of CALABARZON because of the high production of cacao in the said province and is eying to have a cacao trading post and identify other interventions that will help promote and improve the cacao industry in the province in cooperation with 4th District of Quezon Province Representative Congresswoman Helen Tan.

“Nais pong iparamdam ng ating Kagawaran ng Pagsasaka na hindi tayo na nagpapabaya at patuloy ang pagsusumikap ng ating Kalihim, Secretary William Dar, at ng ating Presidente Rodrigo Duterte na maiparamdam na ang ating pamahalaan ay kaagapay ng ating mga magsasaka at mangingisda sa ganito pong panahon,” Director Dimaculangan said. #### (Reina Beatriz P. Peralta, DA-4A RAFIS)