FCAs and LGUs from Bukidnon receive agri machineries and technology support from DA.

 

MALAYBALAY CITY, BUKIDNON — About 60 farmers’ cooperatives, associations (FCAs) and local government units (LGUs) from Bukidnon received agri interventions worth almost P122 million from DA-PhilMech on December 12, at the Northern Mindanao Agricultural Crops and Livestock Research Complex, Dalwangan, in this city.

Some 94 units of rice production technologies and agricultural machineries were turned over by the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-RFO 10) and the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) to the FCAs and LGUs from the municipalities of Malitbog, Cabanglasan, Impasug-ong, Lantapan, San Fernando, Damulog, Don Carlos, Kibawe, Kitaotao, Maramag, Quezon, Kalilangan, Pangantucan, and the cities of Valencia and Malaybalay.

Said interventions was funded under the mechanization component of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), as provided under RA 11203, otherwise known as the Rice Tariffication Law.

PHilMech Interim Director for Extension Rodelio G. Idago, PhD. said that the interventions have been turned over to Bukidnon’s four congressional districts amount to a total of P121,855,000.

These include 29 units floating tiller, 22 units four-wheel tractor, 20 units mobile rice mill, 16 units rice combine harvester, 15 units rice thresher, 4 units recirculating dryer, 4 units hand tractor, 3 units rice reaper, 2 units single pass rice mill, and 1 walk-behind transplanter.

According to DA-10 Regional Executive Director Carlene C. Collado, the said turnover of agri-machineries is harmonious with the agency’s thrust to boost the productivity and profitability of rice farmers in the country, including Northern Mindanao.

Per 2022 PSA data, Bukidnon ranked as the top rice-producing province in Northern Mindanao, with an annual production of 295,686 metric tons, accounting for almost 63% of the total rice production of region 10.

In support of the activity were Bukidnon Acting Provincial Agriculturist Jacqueline Julia A. Lagamon, municipal agriculturists Roan R. Fernandez (Impasug-ong), Coleen Ambos (San Fernando), Herberto L. Tan (Damulog), Merlyn C. Los Baños (Don Carlos), Armand S. dela Cruz (Maramag), Edgar A. Cantones (Kalilangan), Teodor B. Quirante III (Pangantucan), and other PHilMech staff.# (GDA/Photo supplied)