DA, SRA receive ¥800-M sugarcane equipment

The Department of Agriculture and the Sugar Regulatory Administration received ¥800-million (P300 million) worth of farm equipment, a valuable support for Filipino small sugarcane farmers.

Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa turned over the grant to Agriculture Secretary Francisco “Sec Kiko” Tiu Laurel, SRA Administrator Pablo Luis Azcona, and representatives of beneficiaries from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

“I’m especially pleased to be here today to welcome our good friends from the government of Japan and thank them for the 80 units of tractors, 48 units of sugarcane planters, 48 units of flail mowers, and five units of power harrow — all extended under the Japan Non-Project Aid Program,” Laurel said during the turnover ceremony at the SRA Compound in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental.

The DA played a significant role in evaluating, approving, and monitoring the Farm Mechanization Program for Small Sugarcane Landholders.

“Mechanization reduces hard labor, relieves labor shortages, and improves the productivity and timeliness of agricultural operations,” he said.

He commended the SRA for steering the sugarcane industry toward increased production through small farmers.

In previous statements, Laurel said he would consult with stakeholders, including the huge DA bureaucracy, to accomplish President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s marching orders to bring down the prices of food items like rice, sugar, meat, chicken, fish and vegetables by increasing food production.

Laurel said his experience moving up the corporate ladder allowed him to witness the problems of the agriculture sector and the need for national and local authorities to work together to address the problems of Filipino farmers.