The Department of Agriculture in Central Luzon turned over ₱79.284 million worth of machinery to farmers of the Provincial Capitol in Tarlac City.

In collaboration with its attached agency, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization, 48 pieces of machinery were distributed through the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund, which aims to boost rice farmers' productivity and increase their income through the provision of rice farm machinery; rice seed development, propagation, and promotion; expanded rice credit assistance; and rice extension services.

In the turnover on 12 January, 22 four-wheel tractors, 11 rice combine harvesters, six riding-type transplanters, three walk-behind transplanters, three precision seeders, two hand tractors and one single-pass rice mill were given to farmers.

“The Department hopes that through these innovative farming technologies, the prosperity of the agricultural sector in the province of Tarlac will be maintained in order to continue to improve the lives and livelihoods of farmers in the third region,” said the DA Central Luzon.

Last week, the DA-PHilMech also turned over more than P126 million worth of agricultural machinery to San Fernando, Pampanga, benefiting 54 farmers’ cooperatives and associations with free farm equipment which they could use to increase their farming productivity.