The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) distributed last week a total P107.747 million worth of various farm machines at no cost to 59 qualified farmer cooperatives and associations (FCAs) in Nueva Ecija province.
PhilMech said the machines are needed for crop establishment, harvesting and palay drying, composed of 15 hand tractors, 27 walk-behind transplanters, two ride type transplanters, two precision seeders, three rice reapers, 25 rice combine harvesters and 14 recirculating dryers.
Dionisio Alvindia, PhilMech executive director, said in a statement the agency is prepared to sustain the distribution of farm equipment to qualified FCAs through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program until 2024 and provide the necessary training and capacity building for the farmer-beneficiaries.
Alvindia encouraged the beneficiaries to allocate a portion of their income for the repair and maintenance of the machinery as PhilMech also facilitates the localization of the manufacture of spare parts and allow local manufacturers to help farmers with maintenance.
Since the RCEF started in 2019, PhilMech delivered 744 units of various agricultural machinery and postharvest facilities worth P952.5 million, benefiting 468 FCAs and local government units in Nueva Ecija.
PhilMech is the lead government agency helping mechanize the agricultural and fishery sector.
