A P4.6-million solar-powered multi-commodity dehydration facility was turned over by the Department of Agriculture-Regional Field Office 3 (DA-RFO 3) to a farmers’ cooperative in Barangay Baloy, Cuyapo, Nueva Ecija on 4 November 2025.

The facility was funded under the DA’s High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) and is seen to reduce post-harvest losses while creating added value through processing, particularly for lowland vegetable growers in the region.

Project documents show that P3,950,948.92 was allocated for infrastructure, while P720,000 was used for the dehydrating machine, bringing the total cost to P4,670,948.92.

The Orient Agriculture Cooperative of Nueva Ecija is the primary beneficiary of the project. The DA said the facility is expected to help farmers expand their livelihood opportunities by producing dehydrated vegetable products from their harvest.

The cooperative assured the DA that the facility will be properly maintained and fully utilized for the benefit of its members.

According to the agency, only three farmer cooperatives in Central Luzon have received dehydration facilities so far. The DA added that projects such as this strengthen the province’s agricultural value chain and support sustained vegetable production in the region.