President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Tuesday directed the Department of Agriculture (DA) to make soil testing more accessible across the country.

During a meeting in Malacañang, President Marcos lamented the shortage of soil testing centers.

“Kulang na kulang tayo sa soil analysis. We cannot tell the farmers how much fertilizer to use. We cannot give them any advice because we don’t know ourselves what the condition of the soil is,” the President said.

The President made the statement after the DA recommended conducting soil mapping and agricultural liming, initially in Luzon areas, as part of the program to expand the sugar industry.

“That (soil mapping) actually applies to all crops,” President Marcos pointed out.

He said there should be at least one soil testing center for every region. This would allow agriculturists to respond promptly to farmers seeking guidance on crops suitable for their lands.

The DA revealed that “restructuring” efforts are being undertaken to help increase the number of government soil testing centers. The agency is aiming to have a total of 12 facilities by next year. PND