DA turns over P65.6M rice facility in Nueva Ecija

The Department of Agriculture (DA) has turned over a P65.6-million rice processing facility to a farmers' cooperative in Nueva Ecija, providing local growers access to modern milling and drying equipment to reduce postharvest losses and improve the value of their harvests.

The Rice Processing System was awarded to the Talabutab Norte Primary Multipurpose Cooperative in General Mamerto Natividad under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) Mechanization Program.

Agriculture Undersecretary for Rice Industry Development Christopher V. Morales and Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization (PHilMech) Director Dionisio G. Alvindia witnessed the turnover on 6 November 2026.

The facility includes a multi-stage rice mill worth P54.7 million, with a processing capacity of two to three tons per hour, and three mechanical dryers valued at P10.88 million, with a combined capacity of 24 tons per batch.

The milling system is equipped with pre-cleaning, de-stoning, hulling, polishing, grading and color-sorting equipment, as well as an automatic rice packing machine.

Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. said the investment would give farmers greater control over the processing of their harvests and reduce their dependence on outside service providers.

“This investment will give our farmers greater control over how their palay is dried, milled, and processed, reducing their dependence on outside service providers while helping preserve grain quality. More importantly, it will allow them to retain more value from their harvest and improve their earning potential,” Tiu Laurel said.

Alvindia said PHilMech would provide beneficiaries with training and enterprise development support to help ensure the facilities are properly used and sustainably operated.

The project is expected to serve farmers in General Mamerto Natividad and nearby communities, where 11,219 farmers cultivate a combined 21,418 hectares of agricultural land.

Under the RCEF Mechanization Program, qualified farmers' cooperatives and associations receive machinery and postharvest equipment through grants-in-kind. Program estimates show that mechanization can reduce production costs by P2 to P3 per kilogram, while postharvest technologies can lower losses by 3% to 5%.

The program has been extended until 2031 under Republic Act No. 12078, with its annual allocation increased from P5 billion to P9 billi