Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija
(044) 4560-213, od@philmech.gov.ph

NEWS STORIES

DA, KOICA officials cite rice processing complex benefits
by Erwin S. Embuscado (October 29, 2009)
PILAR, BOHOL- The officials from the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Korean International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) cited the benefits of a rice processing complex (RPC) during the groundbreaking ceremony of the RPC recently in this town.

Agriculture Secretary Arthur C. Yap said that the RPC will help 5,000 farmers and increase their income by P16,200 per year.

The RPC will also reduce postharvest losses, increase the production volume of rice and produce high quality milled rice because it is equipped with state-of-the-art postharvest facilities.

According to a report from the Bureau of Postharvest Research and Extension (BPRE), it is estimated that through the RPC postharvest losses will be reduced by about 1.11 million metric tons of rice paddy with estimated value of about P21.74 million per year.

Moreover, Yap said that the first RPC situated in Baler, Aurora and funded also by KOICA has contributed much when the country was hit by typhoons `Ondoy` and `Pepeng`.

"The Republic of Korea has done so much good. At the height of the typhoon `Ondoy` and `Pepeng`, when we needed emergency rice to be milled, the Aurora-KOICA plant was the first to respond," Yap said.

Yap ended his message expressing gratefulness to the Korean government, "I am very honored that Korea chooses to stand beside Filipinos as we continue our fight against poverty, hunger and deprivation".

Man Soo Kang, chairman of the Presidential Council on National Competitiveness of the Republic of Korea said that the RPC will surely provide employment in the community and promote Good Agricultural Practices (GAP).

He also said, "I hope this project will play a key role in developing the agriculture sector of Bohol and attaining food security in the Philippines".

Meanwhile, BPRE Executive Director Ricardo L. Cachuela said that mechanization is important in the agriculture sector and the country needs state-of-the-art technology that would put the Philippines at par with its Asian neighbors in terms of mechanization. The establishment of the RPC will give the sector the boost that it needs to become one of the most profitable sectors in the country.

The Bohol RPC was funded by KOICA- P162 million; DA- P27 million; and the local government unit of Pilar- P8 million.

Aside from the province of Bohol additional RPCs will be established in Pangasinan, Iloilo and Davao Del Sur and is expected to be completed in 2012.

The RPC projects in these four provinces will be operated by the National Agribusiness Corporation (NABCOR) with prospective farmer`s organization.

The RPC will be turned over by NABCOR to the organization once they are ready to operate the facilities.