DEPARTMENT of Agriculture – Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) on Thursday distributed rice farm machinery and equipment to qualified Farmers’ Cooperatives and Associations (FCAs) in Lanao del Norte.
The new farm machines worth P25.6 million were received by at least six farmer cooperatives, associations (FCAs) in the province that will help the farmers become more productive on August 26.
The turnover ceremonies were led by DA-PhilMech Mindanao Cluster A head Engr. Edgar B. Testa, Lanao del Norte provincial agriculture officer Letecia Diticulan, DA-RFO 10 Field Operations Division OIC-chief, Audy Maagad, with DA-RFO 10 Provincial Operations Center OIC-Chief in Lanao del Norte, Engr. Abdulharis P. Paporo.
The farmer cooperatives availed four-wheel drive tractors, hand tractors, floating tiller, riding-type transplanter, combine harvester and rice mill which will be used for land preparation and postharvest activities of the rice farmers from Baroy, Maigo, Lala, Kapatagan and Salvador, Lanao del Norte.
The farm machinery is an aid for rice farmers who were affected by the low-buying price of palay in effect, of the full implementation of the Rice Tariffication Law or the Republic Act No. 11203.
Engr. Testa emphasized, the program is intended to increase farm productivity of eligible rice farmer-groups listed in the Registry System for Basic Sectors in Agriculture (RSBSA), with at least 50 hectares of irrigated rice farmlands.
The six farmer cooperatives and associations include MARSADATES Irrigators Association (IA), Patcusilangka IA, Butadon Solar Dryer with Warehouse and Rice Mill Association, Palay Check Panaliwad-on Farmers Association, Manan-ao Rice Growers Association and Segapod Samahang Nayon Multi-Purpose Cooperative.
The beneficiaries who benefited the agri-interventions of the department were funded under the mechanization component of RCEF.
Reportedly, Lanao del Norte is one of the largest rice-producing provinces in Northern Mindanao next to Bukidnon, with about 16,177 hectares of rice farmlands.
Given with the full grant machinery from DA-PhilMech, provincial agriculture officer Ditucalan urged the recipients to provide shed for the machinery for its safekeeping.
Meanwhile, late last month, some eight farmer-association beneficiaries were also the recipients of P10.4 million farm machinery worth of projects turned over by the regional agriculture department to the local government of Sultan Naga Dimaporo in Lanao del Norte on July 26.
DA-RFO 10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado led the turnover of the said pre- and post-harvest projects to the LGU. (Angie Cabig and Edgar M. Bentulan, Jr./DA-10)
