Republic of the Philippines
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Philippine Center for Postharvest
Development and Mechanization
CLSU Compound, Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija

NEWS STORIES

Farmers laud DA's agri-machinery road show
by Vladimir B. Caliguiran (October 3, 2011)
Farmers lauded the Department of Agriculture’s agricultural farm machinery and equipment road show in Mindanao which opened on Wednesday, September 28, at the Family Country Hotel, Gen. Santos City.


"We thank the Department of Agriculture for organizing this high impact event. We are willing to host the next AgriMach in Davao City," said Nestor Rama, chairman of the Regional Confederation of Irrigators’ Associations in Davao.


"AgriMach 2011" is a showcase of the modern agricultural farm machineries and equipment in the country, with the theme "Aangat ang ani at kita sa paggamit ng tamang makinarya". AgriMach aims to boost agricultural mechanization in the country.


Members of the Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers and Distributors Association Inc. (AMMDA), local and independent manufacturers exhibited their products during the two-day roadshow.


Farm mechanization
Agriculture Secretary Proseso J. Alcala said that agricultural mechanization is one of the key interventions of the DA to achieve 100% rice self-sufficiency by 2013. Proper usage of modern facilities will optimize the utilization of farm-lands and labor productivity and will reduce postharvest losses which can increase farmers' yield and income.


The government will be dispersing hundreds of farm machineries which include farm tractors, drum seeders, threshers, mechanical reapers, combine harvesters, mechanical dryers and rice mills.


The Philippines has a very low level of mechanization. In rice farming, it is estimated at 0.55 hp/ha. In contrast, Asian countries like Japan has a mechanization level of 7.00 hp/ha as revealed in a study of the RNAM in 1990. Moreover, a total of 16.47% postharvest losses is incurred on grains; drying and milling incurring the highest percentage losses with 5.86% and 5.52% share, respectively.


Qualified farmers' group will share only 15% of the total cost of the machinery and the remaining 85% will be shouldered by the government. This scheme will be implemented to the majority of the farm equipment under the rice mechanization program.


The DA is also adapting the 'farmers choice' scheme on the implementation of its rice mechanization program.


The DA Chief emphasized that farmers' group will have the right to choose the brand of the farm equipment they need among the pool of DA accredited manufacturers and suppliers.


Right track
Secretary Alcala also said that 'the food staple sufficiency is on the right track after recording a high increase of 22 percent volume of rice production this third quarter, the highest in Philippine history'.


He also announced that the agriculture sector has the highest contribution on the country's first semester GDP with 7.2 percent.


AgriMach 2011 is spearheaded by the DA-PHilMech, DA-Rice Directorate, and DA-Regional Field Units in partnership with AMMDA.


The road show will be conducted yearly to update the farmers and stakeholders on the latest developments on the agri-machinery industry.


Similar events were conducted in Iloilo City on September 22-23 and Science City of Muñoz,Nueva Ecija last August 23-24.