A total of P135.8 million worth of financial assistance and postharvest facilities was distributed to Nueva Ecija farmer-beneficiaries by the Department of Agriculture (DA).

The turnover of rice mills and dryers from the DA’s Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization was led by Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. in Jaen and Guimba, benefiting two farmers’ cooperatives consisting of a total of 344 farmers tilling 476 hectares of rice planted areas.

The Pakul Primary Multi-purpose Cooperative in  Jaen was awarded P53.6 million worth of rice processing system that includes a state-of-the-art, multi-stage rice mill with a capacity of 2 to 3 tons per hour, which also has a pre-cleaner, de-stoner, huller, mist polisher, length grader, color sorter, blending tank, automatic packing machine for milled rice, rice hull bin, dust collection system, and air-conditioned control room. 

Moreover, the cooperative will receive rice dryers worth P7.06 million. These include a recirculating dryer with a 12-ton per batch drying capacity and one recirculating dryer with a 6-ton per batch drying capacity.

The High-Value Crops Development Program and the DA Regional Field Office III also extended assistance worth P1.9 million and P13 million, respectively.

According to the DA, the cooperative has existing services for drying palay (unmilled rice), but the machine and equipment were dilapidated due to age.

Meanwhile, the Cooperative Enterprise for True Economic Reform in Guimba received a similar rice processing system worth P48.58 million and three 12-ton recirculating dryers valued at  P11.71 million.