Farmers get P20 million machineries

CEBU, Philippines —  At least P20 million worth of farm machineries were turned over by the Department of Agriculture-7 to several farmers in Cebu.

These include one unit of 4WD  tractor and accessories worth P2.75 million which was given to Sagay Farmers Association in Barangay  Sagay, Toledo City;  a multi-cultivator  tillers worth P384,000  to Adela Farmers Association (ADELFA) in Poro, Cebu and municipal government of San Francisco, Cebu; one unit 4WD 90HP tractor with accessories worth P2.7M, one unit corn dehusker worth P220,000, and 1 unit corn mill worth P440,000 to Purgason Maya Farmers Association (PURMAFA) in Barangay Maya, Daanbantayan, Cebu; and the opening of the  P15 million Coconut Hub in Tuburan, Cebu.

DA-7 regional director Salvador Diputado said the multi-cultivator for ADELA farmers is used for weeding, hilling up, double-row tilling and furrow forming.

The distribution of these farm machineries is to assist farmers in their farm labor, expand agricultural development and enhance the overall food production in the region.  Diputado said through this machine the farmers will no longer use the manual method of farming or using carabaos to cultivate the land.

DA-7 Regional Technical Director Marina T. Hermoso said that farm mechanization program aims to improve the farm productivity and income of the corn farmer beneficiaries.

Meanwhile, the DA-Philippine Coconut Authority and the Lamac Multipurpose Cooperative recently opened its P15 million Coconut Hub in Tuburan, Cebu.

Also a joint venture with the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the project serves as a production center for various products from coconut.

Diputado said this project is in compliance with the directive of Agriculture Secretary William Dar to assist coco farmers to survive and reboot in this time of pandemic.

The Lamac MPC produces and markets various products from coconut such as virgin coconut oil, coco sugar, ropes, decors and anti-soil erosion netting, including anti-COVID footbath matting. — FPL (FREEMAN)