Assistance program to Central Luzon Farmers: New Rice Processing Initiatives Unveiled

October 12, 2023

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – To fortify the agricultural backbone of Central Luzon, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) has embarked on collaborative ventures with local governmental bodies.

A memorandum of understanding was inked on Wednesday, bringing together PHilMech and the municipalities of Baliuag, Pulilan in Bulacan, the provincial leadership of Nueva Ecija, and the Quezon municipality within Nueva Ecija. This collaboration aims to erect state-of-the-art rice processing facilities, championed under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization agenda.

Commenting on the development, PHilMech’s Director III, Joel V. Dator, divulged that both Baliuag and Pulilan have been furnished with two 6-ton mechanical dryers and a 1.5 tons per hour (ton/h) multi-stage rice mill, with an aggregate value of PHP35 million. Dator emphasized, in a radio discussion, the pivotal role of these rice processing systems: “Our primary goals are to minimize post-harvest wastage, amplify the earnings of our farmers, and uplift the caliber of domestically milled rice.”

In a similar vein, the Nueva Ecija provincial administration is set to receive PHP18 million in post-harvest apparatus, which encompasses two 6-ton circulating dryers and a 1.5-ton/h multi-pass rice mill. Quezon municipality, meanwhile, will benefit from an investment of PHP16 million, allocated for a 12-ton circulating dryer and an equivalent multi-pass rice mill.

Elaborating on the partnership’s origins during a radio segment, PHilMech Director IV, Dionisio G. Alvindia, remarked, “Nueva Ecija’s leadership approached PHilMech, expressing their desire for such infrastructural enhancements. Recognizing that RCEF benefits not just farmer co-operatives but also local governments, we commenced this collaboration post a formal letter of intent.”

Alvindia went on to guarantee PHilMech’s unwavering commitment to support Nueva Ecija’s vision, led by Governor Aurelio Umali, to uplift its farming community. “Our pledge to Nueva Ecija and its agrarian populace is steadfast. We stand by you in materializing initiatives that cater to the welfare of our farmers,” he asserted.

Rounding off the announcement, PHilMech spotlighted its impressive delivery record: a total of 756 diverse agricultural equipment and post-harvest installations, rolled out between 2019 to 2023, in the province.

For additional information and further reading, refer to the original article here.