The Department of Agriculture (DA) has formally turned over a ₱70.2-million rice processing facility in Oriental Mindoro to help palay (unhusked rice) farmers improve their livelihood and lessen their dependence on middlemen.
Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the project will not only support the government’s modernization agenda but also protect farmers from traders who exploit them with unfairly low buying prices.
“This facility gives farmers the power to manage their own produce. They are no longer at the mercy of low farmgate prices. Now, they can process and market their rice directly,” Tiu Laurel said in a statement.
Boosting Local Rice Production
The facility is expected to benefit farmers in Naujan, one of the country’s top rice-producing towns.
It features a Rice Processing System capable of milling more than 18 metric tons (MT) per day or 3 MT per hour. It is also equipped with two large dryers with a 12-MT capacity per batch and two smaller dryers with a 6-MT capacity per batch.
The project was funded under the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) mechanization program.
Push for Modernized Agriculture
According to Tiu Laurel, the initiative is part of the Marcos administration’s broader effort to upgrade the agricultural sector.
“This is another step toward realizing President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision of a modernized agricultural sector—one where farmers are more productive and profitable, food supply is stable, and prices remain affordable,” he added.