DA: Western Visayas rice processing center to benefit more than 200 farmers

The P7.5-million rice processing center (RPC I) will benefit more than 200 farmers in Western Visayas, the Department of Agriculture said Tuesday.

 

The RPC I will provide drying and milling facilities that will result to an increased milling recovery by 7 percent, according to DA-Region VI director Larry Nacionales.

 

"It has the capability to mill eight tons of paddy rice at an eight hours per day operation, benefitting more than 200 farmers and servicing around 263 hectares rice areas," he said in the statement.

 

The RPC, located at Barangay Monpon in Barotac Nuevo, Iloilo, was turned-over to the Barotac Nuevo Development Cooperative (BNDC).

 

“Our experts tell us that we may be able to increase milling recovery from the existing 58 percent, to 65 percent with the help of this facility,” Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said in the same statement.

 

He said RPC I aims to increase farmers' income. 

 

"It will not only benefit members of the BNDC but will also serve non-members from nearby municipalities within the Western Visayas region," the Cabinet official said.

 

Alcala "challenged" officers of BNDC to invest in a combine harvester.

 

"The combine harvester may be procured by the BNDC on an 85 percent:15 percent sharing scheme with DA, with DA shouldering 85 percent of the cost and the coop sharing 15 percent equity," the statement read.

 

Meanwhile, the DA noted that Iloilo, the rice granary of Western Visayas, attained a 126 percent rice sufficiency level in 2012.

 

It contributed 36 percent to the total rice production in Western Visayas in 2014 with a total yield of 855,000 metric tons.

 

It was able to maintain a third place rank among rice-producing provinces in the region in 2013 despite the calamities that hit the province.

 

Alcala has also inaugurated a P10-million slaughterhouse located in Barangay Tabuc Saba that "aims to improve the local animal industry of the province."

 

"While the Philippines is slowly gaining ground in the international markets, livestock raisers must take advantage of the opportunity," Alcala said.

 

National Meat Inspection Service director Minda Manantan said the local meat industry was able to "penetrate... six foreign markets including South Korean, Japan, Brunei, the United Arab Emirates, Slovakia and Russia" last year.

 

The government of Russia has also expressed interest in importing Philippine cattle, hog and poultry products prior to the inauguration of the slaughterhouse, according to the statement. – Kathryn Mae P. Tubadeza/VS, GMA News