DA Bicol turns over grains center to Tabaco City
by MR Ilan
Dr. Jose V. Dayao, DA Bicol regional executive director, said the post-harvest facility is funded under the Bicol Calamity Assistance Rehabilitation Effort Program (B-CARE) thru the efforts of Cong. Edcel C. Lagman.
The facility is equipped with a multi-pass rice mill with a capacity of 25 cavans per hour; a re-circulating mechanical dyer that can accommodate 120 cavans of palay per batch, drying pavement, and a concrete access road.
Dayao said that obtaining quality rice means better price. He urged the farmers to patronize the grains center to sustain its operation.
He added that the DA is still implementing the 50 per cent subsidy on certified seeds and also the premium subsidy on insurance coverage from August 1 to December 15 planting.
He encouraged the farmers to avail these programs for them to increase production and obtain better income.
Dayao also said that a biomass-fed flatbed dryer would also be installed in addition to the existing facilities. The dryer could also accommodate six tons of palay per batch.
Mayor Krisel Lagman-Luistro on the other hand is grateful that said project was established in Tabaco City as the city has current 1,065 hectares rice area.
She said that she is also campaigning on the planting of hybrid rice to increase production and obtain rice sufficiency.
She believes that going into hybrid rice production will not only increase yield but also the income of the farmers.
She also cited that the city is also a recipient of several FMR projects that would link production area to market.
She announced that she gives priority to agriculture and they are now implementing the plant now pay later for hybrid seeds and also the 50 per cent discount on fertilizer.
Meanwhile, Rep; Edcel C. Lagman lauded the efforts of the city mayor and announces he is also pushing House Bill 330, which give importance to post harvest facilities.
He emphasized that providing post harvest facilities to farmers organization to be paid on a long-term basis without interest would surely help them increase their income.
Another project that he is now giving priority is the FMR which would link production areas to market.
He disclosed that good irrigation, coupled with post harvest facilities and FMR would surely give agriculture an added boost.
He wanted the farmers to sell rice not palay as he saw the economic advantage of selling rice.
He also mentioned the P250 million funds released to DA for the development of indigenous products of Bicol, which include pili, abaca and coconut.
He sees also the potential of these indigenous crops especially pili in terms of providing additional income to the farmers.
He envisions the establishment of a plantation of pili in the region that could sustain the increasing demand of pili nuts for processing. (DA/PIA)
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