Alcala Meets 2,000 WV Farmers, Turns Over Agri Projects

Alcala Meets 2,000 WV 

Farmers, Turns Over Agri Projects 

Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala will be in Iloilo on January 30 for the Regional Farmers’ Forum to be held at the Western Visayas Integrated Agricultural Research Center (WESVIARC), Hamungaya, Jaro, Iloilo City. 

Around 2,000 participants composed of farmers, livestock raisers, local government representatives, farm service providers, and beneficiaries of Reconstruction Assistance on Yolanda program from Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros Occidental will be gathered for the activity. 

Prior to the forum, the DA 6 will conduct a field demo of mechanical rice transplanter and combine harvester in order to raise awareness among the farmers on the effectiveness of these rice mechanization tools in increasing agricultural productivity. 

There will be a launching of the P9 million worth of Regional Organic Soils Laboratory constructed in WESVIARC which is in support to DA’s Organic Agriculture Program. 

Funded last year, the two-story laboratory building costs P2 million and its lab equipment like the atomic absorption spectroscopy, analytical and top loading balance cost P7 million. 

DA 6 Regional Executive Director Larry P. Nacionales said that this laboratory is put up in response to the need for specific analysis in certifying and licensing of organic agricultural products and inputs.

Also, Sec. Alcala will turn over P75, 298, 024.50 worth of farm machineries and implements to the farmers including heavy duty four-wheel drive tractor with implements, mini four-wheel drive tractor with implements, combine harvester, reaper, thresher, corn sheller, hammer mill, cassava granulator, cassava grater, hand tractor with tiller cultivator, baby tank artificial insemination (AI) equipment, mother tank AI equipment, shredder machine, and pumps and engines. 

Rice Processing Center 

To Barotac Nuevo

Secretary Proceso J. Alcala will also spearhead the turnover of the Agri Pinoy Rice Processing Center (RPC) I, worth P7,500,000, to the Barotac Nuevo Multi-purpose Cooperative (BNDC) at Brgy. Monpon.

According to Department of Agriculture 6 Regional Executive Director Larry P. Nacionales, this RPC I aims to reduce postharvest losses by giving access to efficient drying and milling facilities and to increase farmers’ income.

The RPC I consists of one set of multi-pass rice mill with milling capacity of one ton/hr at 98 percent purity, minimum milling recovery of 65 percent and driven by an independent electric motor, 300 sq.m. warehouse floor space, portable moisture meter for rice and corn, weighing scale with one ton capacity, and one set of re-circulating dryer with six tons capacity equipped with biomass-fed furnace.

Dir. Nacionales added that this structure, to be managed by BNDC, will benefit more than 200 farmer-beneficiaries and will serve more or less 263 ha. rice areas.

Compared to single-pass rice mill, RPC I can increase the milling recovery of rice from 58 percent to 65 percent and can save 10 percent milling losses. It can mill 8 tons a day and can dry 12 tons a day at 8 hours daily operation.

Marlyn Baylosis, the municipal agriculturist and also a board of director said that the BNDC is providing quality support to more than 260 farmer-members. The coop allots P6 million loan to them at P25,000 loan per hectare. With 1,083 members at present, the coop is composed of LGU employees, barangay officials, vendors and farmers.  /MP