GOOD morning friends, did you have a good week. You know, we all talk too much, what heartaches are caused, homes broken up, friends hurt, wars incited by some hasty, angry words, much of the conflict in the world is cause by a combination of a narrow mind and a wide mouth.

You will seldom get in trouble by listening, And most of us can learn more from what others say than what we have to say. But now, of course we should talk about our savior and tell others about his love, but we must stop the idle chatter and hasty words that so often wound those around us.

Someone once remarked. - "If you talk when you are angry, you will make the best speech you will always regret". How true. I must confess, many of the troubles I have had in the past, I bought on myself, because I opened my mouth at the wrong time.

Jesus said-"for every idle word men may speak. They will give account of it in the day of judgment."-Think about it.

Lets pause for a moment.-
There are some silent people
Whose praises should be sung
They preach a mighty sermon
By guarding well their tongue.

Our topic. This past month we have been bombarded on the television, radio and the news papers that there is a rice shortage now why should be? You just don't wake up one morning and say we are getting short of rice, we have a problem.

You would have known this months in advance, and done something about it. or are we expected to believe it was poor management.

At the moment the price of good quality rice ranges from about P35 to P40 per kilo. At this rate, by the end of June it could be as high as P60 per kilo. But who is benefiting, its not the farmers that's for sure, is it someone else higher up the ladder out to make a fast buck, I wonder.

But lets get serious, with the continuing rise in population growth, then its quite obvious that we must have a big increase in productivity of necessary commodities. And who do we look too; to supply these things?

The farmers of course. But if the help is not forthcoming, then we are back to square one, so what is left to do? The farmers must have help from the government, such as guaranteed prices for their products, financial support, production incentives, this type of encouragement will help the farmers and growers to increase their production levels.

At the present time the farmers are suffering like the rest of us, and being blamed for the shortages, is that fair, of course its not, they are like all of us, they need help, now! While we are still on the subject of rice, there is one question that always seems to be taught, after they finish their studes, they return to their own country, and produce rice, which they in turn sell back to the Philippines, the big question is why!

You the readers know as well as I do, that all the rice needed here could be grown here, it was that way in the past! So why not now? They Vice Gov. Julius Ceasar Herrera seems to think it can be done, he has stated, its time to consider the idle arable lands for rice production, I wholeheartedly agree with this statement.

The only problem I see through, is who is going too finance the idea? It would help solve the problem in the future, but it must be considered to clear the land, do the cultivation's, to do the planting, and supply the fertilizer is going to cost honey, so who will foot the bill.

It the government is willing to help, then all I can say is lets do it. If we can consider that agriculture could be the backbone of the nation, and improve the economy, then no more time should be wasted on discussions, Just put the plan into action.

Many people I know say-"why do you care," "You are a foreigner", yes I know, but I am also an agriculturist, and have been involved in crop production and animal husbandry all my life, having been a farmer, I know what hardships they face. If my suggestions can be of value to them, my time is not wasted.

Take care, see you next week.