BUTUAN CITY – At least 121 farmer groups in the Caraga region have received farm machinery and equipment from the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) of the Department of Agriculture (DA) during the first half of this year.

Jingle Paloma-Tinambacan, the focal person for PhilMech-13 (Caraga), said the farm machinery and equipment were released during the period through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

“The RCEF is implemented in three provinces in the Caraga Region, namely Agusan del Sur, Surigao del Sur, and Agusan del Norte,” she said In an interview on Wednesday.

From January to June, around PHP162.4 worth of farm machinery and equipment was distributed to farmer groups in the three provinces.

Six farm tractors worth PHP13.7 million and 110 floating tillers worth PHP9.9 million were released to help the farmers prepare their land.

PhilMech also provided 23 walk-behind transplanters worth PHP9.5 million, five riding-type transplanters worth PHP5.7 million for crop establishment activities, and 40 units of rice combine harvesters worth PHP69.9 million.

The groups were also provided drying facilities, including 13 six-tonner recirculating dryers worth PHP42.3 million and two 12-tonner recirculating dryers worth PHP7.9 million.

In addition, PhilMech supported the milling needs of the farmers by releasing one unit of single-pass mobile rice mills worth PHP950,000 and two units of single-pass stationary rice mills worth PHP2.3 million.

“The provision of the needed farm machinery and equipment under the RCEF program will continue in the second semester of this year,” Tinambacan said.

The RCEF mechanization program aims to assist rice farmers in becoming competitive, reducing production costs, and increasing their farm productivity. (PNA, Alexander Lopez)