A total of 20 farmers’ cooperatives and associations (FCAs) and local government units (LGUs) of Occidental Mindoro receive 30 units of various agricultural machinery and postharvest facilities under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program during the provincial turnover held on March 2, 2023 in Magbay, San Jose, Occidental Mindoro.

 

These include five units of hand tractors, seven units of walk-behind transplanters, one unit of riding-type transplanter, two units of precision seeder, seven units of rice combine harvesters, two units of recirculating dryer (6-tonner), four units of recirculating dryer (12-tonner), one unit of mobile rice mill, and one unit of multi-stage rice mill (2-3 tph).

 

The machinery grants are expected to benefit farmers from the 8 municipalities namely Abra de Ilog, Calintaan, Magsaysay, Paluan, Rizal, Sablayan, San Jose, Santa Cruz, and adjacent towns.

 

Meanwhile, as part of the ceremonial turnover, one unit of recirculating dryer (6-tonner) was inaugurated and turned over to Bulacan, Sigasig ng Layon at Kapatiran Multipurpose Cooperative. Another unit of recirculating dryer (6-tonner) was inaugurated and turned over to Nagkakaisang Lakas Multipurpose Cooperative.

 

“Asahan po ninyo na ang mga ibinigay ninyo na mga postharvest facilities na ito ay aming iingatan at alagaan. At ito po ay sisiguraduhin po namin na talagang makatutulong po sa aming mga miyembro at maging sa lahat ng mga magsasaka na gusto pong mag-avail ng mga postharvest facilities na ito,” said Josephine Mallari of the Nagkakaisang Lakas Multipurpose Cooperative. (Joe Ruedas,FB DA-PhilMech)