Aurora is basically an agricultural province. Its economic base rests on its rich natural resources from mountains down to the lowland, coastal and marine areas. Its rainfall pattern of even distribution throughout the year provides and economic advantage and is highly suitable for agricultural productivity.

  a.      Crops

i.         Rice Processing Complex: A Php 130 Million grant from Korea, first in the Philippines, to support the agricultural sector of the province by providing rice farmers a modern integrated, one-stop post production and processing facility to help reduce post-harvest losses, produce quality rice, and increase farmers’ income.

1.      Established as an economic enterprise of the Province through Provincial Ordinance 161 signed December 13, 2007

2.      Food Security by way of local procurement and local distribution for local consumption:

a.      43,769 bags of palay amounting to Php 33,713,660

b.      24,159 bags of milled rice amounting to Php 30,573,534

c.      7,838 bags stocks of dried palay

3.      KOICA Evaluation Mission concluded that the RPC Aurora is “indeed a successful project between the KOICA and PGA” in terms of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability as criteria.

ii.       Irrigation infrastructures are restored and rehabilitated with funding assistance through NIA amounting to Php 24.4 Million involving:

1.      Disalit Creek Irrigation System (San Luis)

2.      Diamanen Communal Irrigation System (Dipaculao)

3.      Kabitukulan Communal Irrigation System (Maria Aurora)

4.      Resercva Communal Irrigation System (Baler)

5.      Kamalatan Communal Irrigation System (San Luis)

6.      Dipagbato Communal Irrigation System (Casiguran)

7.      Diaat Communal Irrigation System (Maria Aurora)

8.      Pingit Communal Irrigation System (Baler)

9.      Amro River Irrigation System (Casiguran)

10.  Sapang Kawayan (Dipaculao)

11.  Tabas-Marikit (Casiguran)

iii.      Rice Production: (Total Area Planted: 18,462 hectares)

1.      Average yield per hectare was 3.6 MT last year

2.      Rice production reached 66,461.67 MT last year

3.      Surplus production of 11,584 MT

4.      152 percent rice sufficiency level

iv.     High Value Crops

1.      Propagation of calamansi, lanzones, durian, rambutan, cacao, marang.

2.      Established greenhouse for production of cauliflower, cabbage, beans, water melon, sweet honey dew melon for trial purposes.

3.      Launched Food Security Projects as a measure to promote sustainable food production and food security in the countryside.

a.      Bio-Intensive Agri-vegetable Production in School Campuses, and

b.      Barangay Anihan Contest among barangays

v.      Aurora Provincial Coconut research and Development Center on a 150-hectare pasture land area in Barangay Dibaraybay, Dinalungan was established to increase number of coconut trees and coconut trees and coconut-based production in Aurora.

vi.     Subsidy to Farmers by way of seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides through DA-RFU III and OPAg.

b.      Livestock

i.         Upgrading of Stock

1.      Bull loan to farmers the 15 head of bull maintained by PVO

2.      Artificial Insemination of 143 cattle and 106 carabaos by way of superior animal semen producing 45 calves valued at Php 450,000.00

3.      Artificial Insemination of 158 sows produced 969 piglets valued at

Php 1,453,500.00

4.      Subsidy to 610 hog farmers amounting to Php 610,000.00/per farmer) as incentive.

ii.       FMD, Avian Flu, Rabies Control

1.      Maintained 2 animal quarantine checkpoints in Dimani, Villa Aurora and Canili Area in Maria Aurora to maintain and animal disease-free Aurora the only province in Central Luzon not affected by diseases of swine, carabaos, and cattle.

a.      Checked entry of a total of 35,470 head of swine, goat, broiler chicke, and ducks and 28,847 kgs. of assorted meat/dressed chicken.

b.      Checked exit of 3,467 head of carabao, dog, pig, horse, goat, and duck.

c.      Provided vaccination and deworming services amounting to Php 1.9 Million.

c.      Fisheries:

In collaboration with BFAR and CLSU

i.         Increased tilapia harvest by 102% from 38.8 MT to 78.7 MT

1.      Broadstock development of 8,000 tilapia fingerlings

2.      Production of 382,402 tilapia fingerlings at Fisheries Breeding Center in Reserva.

ii.       Increased bangus production by 38% from 10.7 MT to 14.3 MT primarily from fish cages

iii.      82 units of bottom-set gill nets distributed to fisherfolks

iv.     19 units of shallow water payaw project awarded to San Luis, Dipaculao and Dingalan Fisherfolks

v.      Promoted fish processing such as bagoong, dried and smoked fish, boneless bangus, fish fillet, chorizo, tocino, imbotido, burger nuggets, etc.

vi.     Seaborne Patrol and Surveillance were conducted to prevent illegal fishing activities within the provincial waters.

What to look forward: Aurora Province as producer-supplier of food in Central Luzon, the country, and North Asia as part of North Luzon Agribusiness Quadrangle (Super Regions) and the Aurora Special Economic Zone:

i.         Increase production of key commercial crops and sustain rice self-sufficiency and quality Aurora rice.

ii.       Increased production of high value fish species, bangus and tilapia through mariculture and commercial inlad fisheries

iii.      Sustain animal-disease free Aurora, Upgrade animal stocks, and increase availability of meat at affordable price.

iv.     Encourage local and foreign investors.