Featured News

THE Department of Agriculture (DA) on Tuesday turned over a P70.2-million rice processing system (RPS) to farmers in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro.

Naujan town is a major rice producer in Mindoro province.

The equipment can mill three metric tons of palay per hour, or over 18 tons in a day. It also has two dryers with a capacity of six tons per batch, and two more dryers with a capacity of 12 tons per batch.

“This facility gives farmers the power to manage their own produce,” Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said in a statement. “They are no longer at the mercy of low farmgate prices. Now, they can process and market their rice directly.“

With less dependence on traders and middlemen, the farmers look forward to having higher income with the equipment.

It would also give consumers better access to locally milled, high quality rice at affordable prices, the DA said.

The RPS was delivered by the DA through its attached agency, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech).

Procured through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization program, the RPS is an upgrade from previous small-scale post-harvest tools.

“This is another step toward realizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of a modernized agricultural sector — one where farmers are more productive and profitable, food supply is stable, and prices remain affordable,” said Tiu Laurel in his message read by DA Regional Technical Director Vener Dilig.

Source : msn