The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization Program (PhilMech) of the Department of Agriculture turned over on Thursday farm equipment/postharvest facilities to the province of Negros Oriental.

Interim Director for Field Operations Joel Dator of PhilMech led the turnover to Governor Roel Degamo of the post-harvest facilities amounting to PHP39.7 million during a ceremony at the Macias Sports Center in this capital city.

Degamo told representatives of the beneficiary groups to take good care of the equipment as this will boost their income.

“I have high regard and respect for our farmers and I hope that you will maintain the new equipment so that they will last a long time and ensure a higher yield,” Degamo said.

The procurement of the machinery/facilities is part of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Component, which has already benefited Negros Oriental since 2019.

A report from PhilMech showed that it was able to procure and deliver 598 units of various agricultural machinery and postharvest facilities under the RCEF 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 funds in the province.

The delivered units during these years have an estimated total of PHP229.7 million.

The latest distribution on Thursday included hand tractors, floating tillers, walk-behind transplanters, riding type transplanters, rice reapers, rice combine harvesters, 6T recirculating dryers, a single-pass rice mill, and mobile rice mills.

A total of 115 farmers’ cooperatives and associations in Negros Oriental have already benefited from the program. (PNA)