AGRICULTURAL MACHINERY. Agriculture Secretary William Dar (3rd from right) leads the turn-over of agricultural machinery worth PHP53.8 million to rice farmers on Wednesday (Sept. 9, 2020) in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. The machinery includes floating tillers, hand tractors, transplanter, and precision seeders. (Photo courtesy of DA-11)
DAVAO CITY-- Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary William D. Dar has led the distribution of the PHP53.8 million worth agricultural machinery to the Davao region rice farmers in Tagum City, Davao del Norte, on Wednesday.
The agricultural machinery includes 32 floating tillers, 23 hand tractor, 13 combine harvester, 13 four-wheel tractors, eight riding type transplanter, four walk-behind transplanters, one reaper and, one Precision Seeder.
It will serve 4,057 rice farmers from 23 farmers cooperatives/associations (FCAs) in the 13 municipalities of the Davao region.
In a statement Thursday, DA said the assistance is under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization component.
Under the “Rice Tariffication Law”, the RCEF or rice fund will be utilized to improve rice farmers’ competitiveness and income amidst liberalization of the Philippine rice trade policy that lifted quantitative restrictions on rice imports and replaced it with tariffs, among others.
It has a PHP10 billion annual appropriation and disbursed as follows: rice farm machinery and equipment (50%), rice seed development, propagation, and promotion (30%), expanded rice credit assistance (10%) and, rice extension services (10%).
During the turnover ceremony, Dar highlighted the agency's priority programs to help rice farmers reduce the cost of production and increase their income.
"We give the highest priority on rice production to increase the country's rice adequacy from 86 to 93 percent and this is the best way possible to increase the productivity of our rice farmers," he said.
He added that the mechanization support given was only the first tranche of the 2019 RCEF Mechanization allocation and farmers should expect that more machinery assistance will be provided for rice farmers in the region.
“These farmer-beneficiaries have undergone hands-on training through DA-PhilMech prior to the distribution activity. We make sure that we have a pool of agri-mechanics to maintain and take good care of this mechanization support,” Dar said.
DA-11 Director Ricardo Oñate, Jr. assured the rice farmers that the delivery of support and services has been intensified especially during the current health situation.
"Aside from RCEF that provides mechanization, seeds, training, and credit support, we have also distributed financial subsidies and cash assistance under the Rice Farmers Financial Assistance (RFFA). We also have the Rice Resiliency Project (RRP) under the Plant, Plant, Plant Program to expand rice production and provide farmers with free bags of quality seeds and fertilizers," Oñate said.
Oñate said the agency is currently coordinating with the local government units to provide support to rice farmers such as transportation service and the Rice Processing Complex (RPC) to help farmers in processing their palay.
“For our rice farmers to prosper, we need to help them transition from mere producers to traders of their own rice grain. We will not only provide production and mechanization services but most importantly marketing support,” he said. (PNA)
