DA Grants Rice Mechanical Dryers for the Farmers of Central Luzon
For the FY 2020 National Expenditure Program, the Department of Agriculture thru its attached agency Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) received P345.9 million from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM). Part of this fund is allocated for the procurement of rice mechanical dryers that helps farmers to dry their harvested rice.
As the “ber” months is the onset of the rain season, most of the time rice fields were devastated by a storm which adds up to the problems of farmers marketing their produce. With this, the Department of Agriculture particularly in Central Luzon awarded farmers’ cooperative and association with rice mechanical dryers.
According to Agriculture Secretary William Dar and RFO OIC-Director Crispulo Bautista, Jr, the facilities also serve as a recognition and reward to the province’s initiative in helping farmers recover from the falling prices of palay by buying and processing them.
One of the fortunate farmers’ association is Galas Maasim Palay and Vegetables Producers Farmers’ Association located at San Rafael, Bulacan. The association was registered to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on November 11, 2013, and to Regional Office in 2019 with 50 farmers as members.
Ms. Tarcilla Dela Cruz, Chairperson of Galas Maasim Palay and Vegetables Producers Farmers’ Association stated that they requested the recirculating dryer early in the year of 2019 then finally awarded in December of the same year. “Ang pinaka problema ng magsasaka, aanihin namen ang palay ngunit dahil sa ulan na stock ang palay sa sako na siyang nagiging dahilan ng pagkasira at mababang presyo” Dela Cruz added.
Dela Cruz also asserts her gratefulness towards DA, “nagpapasalamat kami sa Department of Agriculture dahil sa biyayang kanilang binibigay para sa aming magsasaka. Lalo na ngayon sa panahon ng pandemya, sa amin naka focus ang kanilang atensyon”. ###
Writer: Danica Jen P. Jino
Photographer: Ernest Payawal