A RICE processing system (RPS) worth P184.40 million has been turned over to a farmers cooperative in Naguilian, Isabela.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. led the turnover of the RPS to the Providers Multipurpose Cooperative (MPC) on October 3.
“As we aim to significantly enhance their agricultural productivity and efficiency, this can be done through the provision of advanced machinery and postharvest facilities which will help our farmers in their livelihood and eventually increase their income,” Tiu Laurel said.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. (center) leads the turnover of a rice processing center to Providers Multipurpose Cooperative based in Naguilian, Isabela. DA REGION 2 PHOTO
“You can dry your crops as well as process rice and will help the community,” Tiu Laurel said during the event, adding that the project will be able to cater to the needs of some 759 farmer-members of Providers MPC.
The agriculture secretary said that with the RPS, rice farmers in Naguilian will no longer be forced to sell their produce to traders at a cheap price as the farmers can dry and process their palay (unmilled rice) harvest.
The RPS was funded through cost sharing between the Department of Agriculture (DA) with P40.50 million, Philippine Center for Postharvest Research and Mechanization (PHilMech) through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund-Mechanization Program with P65.02 million and Providers MPC with P69.94 million.
DA Regional Field Office 2 Executive Director Mary Rose Aquino said the department’s share involved the construction of two buildings while the Providers MPC provided services for on-site development, operational capital, trucks, office, silos, truck weighing scales and other rice mill accessories.
PHilMech Director Dionisio Alvindia said the center’s share were the rice mill that can mill 2 to 3 tons of rice per hour, a recirculating dryer with a capacity of 6 tons of rice and two dryers with a capacity of 12 tons of rice.
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