Capitol, DA distribute P11M farm machineries
LIEZEL CAYANAN
CITY OF SAN FERNANDO – A total of P11, 530,272.01 worth of farm machineries and equipment was distributed to 76 farmer beneficiaries of this province.
Gov. Lilia ‘Nanay’ Pineda and Department of Agriculture Regional Office (DA-R3) led the distribution of machineries to qualified farmers group, cooperatives and irrigator’s association during the flag raising ceremony held at the Provincial Capitol Grounds, yesterday.
85 percent or P9,272,597.33 of the amount of the equipment was subsidized by the DA while the remaining 15 percent or P2,257,674.68 obligation of the farmer association was shouldered by the provincial government.
52 farmer organizations under the rice program received 10 units of hand tractor with trailer and implements, 3 units of mini four wheel tractor, 3 units of rice transplanter (walk behind), 1 unit of rice transplanter (riding type), 1 unit of combine harvester with hauler, 4 units of rice reapers, 34 units of shallow tube well (pump), and 34 units of shallow tube well (engine).
Some 20 units of shallow tube well, 1 unit of four wheel drive tractor trailing arrow, 1 unit of mobile thresher, and 2 units of cassava granulator was also distributed to 24 farmer organizations under the corn program of DA.
DA-R3 director Andrew Villacorta said the distribution of said equipment is under the farm mechanization program of DA and aimed at helping the farmers cope up with the ASEAN integration.
“Alam po natin na mayroon tayong ASEAN integration kung saan ang bawat bansa ay may competition. Hindi natin mapipigilan ang pagpasok ng produkto na nanggagaling sa ibang bansa and we like to be competitive. We can only be competitive if we can lower the cost of production. Isa sa mga paraan para mapababa ang production is to reduce the labor. Sa paggamit ng iba’t ibang klase ng makinarya, mapapababa natin ang cost ng production,” Villacorta said.
Villacorta also mentioned that Pampanga also qualified as one of the rice achievers in the country in 2014..
“Average production of palay is only 3.9 but Pampanga has achieved 4.2(metric tons per hectare), that’s above average. Despite of the calamities that hit Pampanga, it was still recognized as one of the outstanding rice producers,” added Villacorta.
Gov Pineda, for her part, thanked Director Villacorta and farmer organizations for their outstanding efforts in rice production.
“Salamat Director Villacorta at kekayu pung otelelanu mu rin keng sipag yu agyang atin tamung dakal a kalamidad pero keng kekayung tiyaga at malasakit, talagang saludu ku kekayu. Dakal pung dakal a salamat,” said Gov Pineda.
The governor also urged the farmer orgnizations to seek help from the provincial government.
“Atin nemang pondu ing kapitolyu para kekayu. Sana pu banwa-banw nung atin yang programa ing DA sana itang 15% share lagi yu nya mu pung anyaran kekami (capitol). Sana pagmalasakitan yu la pu deng bibye ning DA at kapitolyu kekayu,” furthered the governor.
