FARM MECHANIZATION. Representatives of farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in Western Visayas receive their farm machinery and equipment during a turnover ceremony at the Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center in Iloilo City on Wednesday (Sept. 16, 2020). FCAs from Iloilo got the biggest chunk of the machinery support amounting to PHP89.12 million. (PNA photo courtesy of Myleen S. Subang/DA-RAFIS 6)
ILOILO CITY – Iloilo province got the biggest chunk of the PHP193.7 million worth of farm machinery and equipment that were turned over during a ceremony held Wednesday at the Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (WESVIARC) in Jaro district here.
From among the 38 farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) identified as pilot beneficiaries of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Modernization Program, 18 were from Iloilo.
The groups from Iloilo received 16 four-wheel tractors, 23 hand tractors, 30 floating tillers, seven precision seeders, two walk-behind transplanters, seven riding type transplanters, 18 combine harvesters, and one rice mill amounting to PHP89.12 million.
Helen Bolivar, president of Badiangan Farmers’ Association of Mina, Iloilo, said the mechanization support is a “great help” especially as it serves 548 hectares of rice area that are into synchronous planting.
Their association received PHP5.25 million worth of farm machinery.
The fund for the farm machinery was part of the PHP650-million 2019 budget for the Farm Mechanization Program of RCEF for Western Visayas.
In his message during the turnover, Department of Agriculture-Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) executive director Baldwin Jallorina said the fund came from the proceeds of the Rice Tariffication Law (RTL) with an annual allocation of PHP10 billion.
Fifty percent of the annual PHP10-billion rice fund for the next six years is allocated for the farm mechanization program to help farmers reduce their production cost and postharvest losses, thereby increasing their income and productivity.
Apart from Iloilo, other recipients were eight FCAs from Negros Occidental with PHP41.76 million worth of farm machineries; five FCAs in Aklan with PHP26.26 million farm equipment; four associations in Antique with PHP20.91 million farm equipment; and three FCAs in Capiz that received PHP15.73 million worth of farm machinery.
As a whole, DA-PhilMech turned over 35 four-wheel tractors, 49 hand tractors, 80 floating tillers, 10 precision seeders, seven walk-behind type transplanters, four reapers, 37 rice combine harvesters, six mini threshers, and three rice mills.
Jallorina said another PHP600-million machinery support will be provided to the farming sector in the region this year. (PNA)
