TACLOBAN CITY – Four farmers’ cooperatives and associations from three major rice-producing towns in Northern Samar received modern farm equipment worth P17.4 million from the Department of Agriculture.
Northern Samar Gov. Harris Ongchuan welcomed the machinery support as it complements the provincial government’s efforts to boost farmer productivity, reduce production costs, and strengthen local food security.
Ongchuan said this assistance from the national government and other stakeholders will uplift farming communities and achieve rice sufficiency.
Each of the farmer’s groups was provided with four-wheel tractors and rice combine harvesters that will help to significantly reduce labor cost, improve efficiency, and increase rice production in the province.
Northern Samar provincial agriculturist Jose Luis Acompańado said equipment were from DA’s Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (DA-PhilMech) under its Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program.
Acompańado said the farmers’ groups were from the towns of Palapag, Las Navas and Laoang which are among the top rice-producing towns of the province.
The RCEF Mechanization Program was created in response to the Rice Tariffication Law to help farmers manage the increased competition from rice imports.
Photo Courtesy: Provincial Government of Northern Samar FB Page
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