Subic Bay Freeport: Some P130.7 million worth of fertilizer from Japan arrived in Subic recently which will make their way to provinces heavily affected by two recent typhoons in the country.

A total of 120,000 bags of fertilizers or about 6,000 metric tons is the third delivery of fertilizer from Japan under a P253 million grant from the Japanese government arrived in Subic Port last November 12 but was formally turned over only last December 3.

Japan’s ambassador to the Philippines Makoto Katsura to Undersecretary Bernie Fondevilla of the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The recent shipment according to Fondevilla was supposed to be unloaded in Iloilo and Batangas Port but he explained that it would be much better if the shipments were unloaded in Subic instead.

The fertilizers will be delivered to farmers in Ilocos Sur, Ilocos Norte, La Union, Isabela and Cagayan Valley, while the last lot of 7,500 metric tons that will arrive early next week will be for the provinces of Tarlac, Pangasinan and Nueva Ecija.

During the turnover, Makoto said that the Japanese fertilizer assistance this year totals 26,135 metric tons or 522,700 bags of ammonium sulfate fertilizer, as contained in an agreement that he signed last March with Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo.

Makoto added that the assistance “serves as a continuing testimony to the cordial friendship and cooperation shared between the Philippines and Japan.”
Specifically, it is designed to alleviate the plight of low-income farmers who were severely affected by recent typhoons, he added.

Makoto also recounted that the first two lots, totaling 252,700 bags or 12,635 metric tons, were coursed through the ports of Davao in September and Iloilo in October.

The new fertilizer deliveries, according to Daniel Oñate, vice president for marketing of Agrotech Agricultural Products, Inc. would be crucial to turn around agricultural lands in Luzon that were affected by the recent floods.