Farmers coops get farm machinery worth P107.74M
‘This major distribution of farm machines to qualified farmers coops and associations will be of great benefit to the 59 qualified FCAs, as the machines include equipment for crop establishment, harvesting and palay drying.’
The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization distributed a total of P107.74 million worth of farm machinery for 59 qualified farmers’ cooperatives and associations or FCAs in Nueva Ecija.
PHilMech Executive Director and Scientist IV Dr. Dionisio G. Alvindia said the Mechanization Program was bankrolled by the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund.
“This major distribution of farm machines to qualified FCAs under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tariffication Law that created the RCEF-Mechanization will be of great benefit to the 59 qualified FCAs, as the machines include equipment for crop establishment, harvesting, and drying of palay,” Alvindia said.
RCEF-Mechanization Program
“We have two more years to go for the RCEF-Mechanization Program and I am optimistic that PHilMech will be able to sustain the delivery of the farm equipment and capacity-building measures to the qualified beneficiaries,” he said.
Fifteen Hand Tractors, 27 Walk-Behind Transplanters, 2 Riding Type Transplanters, 2 Precision seeders, 3 rice reapers, 25 Rice Combine Harvesters, and 14 Recirculating Dryers with 6-ton capacities were distributed to the FCAs.
Republic Act 11203 created the RCEF or Rice Fund to improve rice farmers’ competitiveness and income amid the liberalization of the Philippine rice trade policy that lifted quantitative restrictions on rice imports and replaced them with tariffs, among others.
Based on its Implementing Rules and Regulation, P5 billion or 50 percent of the rice fund is allocated to the RCEF -Mechanization Program and shall be released and implemented by PHilMech as a grant in kind to eligible and qualified FCAs, registered rice cooperatives, and local government units.