It is time to focus on postharvest losses

“We usually focus on the production side of rice farming, now it is time to focus on postharvest losses and how to reduce them with the use of machines,” said Dr. Rowena Esconde, acting assistant provincial agriculturist, during the Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair held today, June 6, in Davao del Norte.

The province received another batch of machinery grants worth Php158.85 million under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program. Recipients include 35 cooperatives and associations (FCAs) and local government units (LGUs) from Sto. Tomas, Asuncion, San Isidro, Kapalong, New Corella, Talaingod, Carmen, Igacos, Panabo, Dujali, and Tagum PAGRO.

The 99 units of machines and facilities received include rice combine harvesters, four-wheel drive tractors, walk-behind transplanters, hand tractors, floating tillers, riding-type transplanters, rice threshers, single pass rice mills, mobile rice mills, recirculating dryers (6 ton and 12 ton), and multi-stage rice mills (1.5t/ph and 2.3t/ph).

His Excellency President Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr., Department of Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel, Acting Governor-De Carlo Uy, Tagum City Mayor-Rey T. Uy, DA XI-Regional Executive Director-Macario Gonzaga, DA-PHilMech Director III Joel V. Dator, PHilMech FMFOD Chief Engr. May Ville Castro, and Davao del Norte Acting Provincial Agriculturist Dr. Julieta Cristina Zambrano, were also present during the ceremony.