The Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech) has partnered with Korea Rural Community Corp. (KRC) to establish a Comprehensive Agricultural Machinery Assembly Complex in the country by 2027.

PhilMech said Thursday that it recently held a consultation with KRC to discuss the project, which will be funded through official development assistance.

“Both sides expressed positivity about the impact of the project on agricultural development in the Philippines, particularly in boosting local capacity for assembling agricultural machinery,” PhilMech said in a statement.

PhilMech and KRC agreed on their respective responsibilities and the next steps. KRC committed to deploy a preliminary feasibility study team by September or October 2025. 

The team will include a project manager, architect, agricultural machinery engineer, and performance management expert, with additional technical specialists to be considered as needed.

KRC will compile a comprehensive report based on the study and submit it to South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs for evaluation as a major bilateral initiative.

PhilMech, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture, will provide the necessary data and lead the preparation of project documents for submission to the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development. This will be a prerequisite to securing endorsement from Korea’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.