Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. assured rice farmers here that the agency is working to address their needs.
In a visit here, Tiu Laurel said he would discuss with the National Food Authority (NFA) the segregation of a warehouse and a facility in this city, with separate funds and supplies to address the NFA’s limited purchase of rice produced by Kalinga farmers.
The NFA warehouse that the secretary visited will be included in the modernization program where farmers have to pour in their produce in a silo — a storage structure, further cutting the expenses of farmers.
He said bigger processing and milling facilities would be established in the NFA facility here and in the municipality of Rizal.
Tiu Laurel also told farmers’ association and cooperative leaders that they go around the country to listen to suggestions from stakeholders.
“Help us by providing information and recommendations that will help us in coming up with solutions and improvements to policies,” Tiu Laurel told Kalinga farmers in a dialogue at the National Irrigation Administration compound.
He approved requests for solar irrigation, “kuliglig”, deep irrigation facilities and others that farmers need.
Kalinga is considered the rice granary of the Cordillera Administrative Region, producing an average of 120,000 metric tons of rice annually aside from corn, fruits and lowland vegetables.
Tiu Laurel also defended the importation of rice.
“Importation is not bad per se because but what is bad is the overimportation. The country is lacking about 22 percent of the production to feed all Filipinos and if we do not do that, there will be some who will go hungry,” he said.
During the visit, Tiu Laurel led the distribution of PHP1.12 million worth of agricultural intervention to 18 farmers association and cooperatives from the municipalities of Lubuagan, Pasil, Tinglayan, Tanudan, Lubuagan, Rizal and Tabuk City.
Among the interventions provided were grasscutters, walking type agricultural tractor, moisture meter, coffee pulper, pumps and engine set.
He also led the launching of the “serbisyo caravan” that included the selling of the Benteng Bigas Meron Na PHP20/kilo rice to the public. (PNA)
